The Dare
by LondonGoth
Summary: "Your wild ways are going to catch up to you someday little fox" Bella Swan lives for the rush that comes from any kind of trouble she can find. But what happens when one dare turns out to be too much? Rated 'M' for violence, sexuality and language
1. Chapter 1

Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

-The Dare-

"Bella! Bella, wait for me!" Jacob yelled as his best friend and playmate, Bella, ran from him. There was nothing better than a game of hide and seek on a late summer evening. Summer was the best time ever for Bella and Jacob. During the summer they got to stay outside and play even longer because it wouldn't get dark until almost bed time! Plus, summer meant no school. Bella and Jake never got enough of playing in the woods that surrounded their homes. Summer vacation was a thing of beauty to kids everywhere.

Bella Swan and Jacob Black had known one another their whole lives, all nine years of them. Bella was always like a sister to Jacob. She loved doing all the really cool stuff the boys did: Playing in the dirt, catching grasshoppers, building forts and climbing trees. Basically all the fun things the other girls in their school never wanted to do because they were afraid of getting dirt under their nails or touching bugs. Bella would always be the first one to try anything no matter how scary it seemed. Bella was, as Jacob would tell you, the bravest person he knew. But often times Bella's bravery would lead her into more trouble than either she or Jacob could get out of.

There was a time the older kids in La Push, a group of native boys, dared Bella to climb the tallest tree in the forest. Bella, never one to back down from a dare, did just that. But just as little Bella reached the mid-way point of the beautiful Cedar, she slipped on a wet branch and fell out of the tree, breaking her leg in the process. Bella, Jacob, and the pack of rowdy boys all got in trouble when Bella's father, Chief Charlie Swan found out about the dare. He told them that Bella shouldn't be doing the same stunts they did. That it was up to them all to look after Bella as if she were a sister among all the boys.

Little did they know how soon they would learn that Bella Swan's stubborn streak, and dare-devil ways would change all their lives forever.

(eight years later)

"Come on Jake. Stop being a wuss about this. I promise nothing bad will happen."

The pretty brown eyed girl said to her friend in hopes of swaying him. Seventeen year old Bella was trying to convince Jacob Black that taking his father's truck in the middle of the night was nothing like stealing. "Borrowing, Jake. Say it with me now, borrowing it."

Jacob eyed the petite girl who stood before him with a light shining in her eyes. Mischievous little thing that she was- Bella lived for the thrills and freedom that came from pulling stunts just like this one. And Jacob, he just lived to see her happy and thriving .. even if it got him in more trouble than he was comfortable with. Fact was, 6'5" Jacob Black was being bossed around by 5'2" inch Isabella Swan. He'd never live it down.

"Bella, I'm pretty sure my dad won't see it as 'borrowing' when we get caught! And we will get caught." Bella sticking out her bottom lip, gave Jake the eyes. The same puppy dog eyes that always had him giving in. "Oh no. Not this time Bells. Those pretty big brown eyes won't work on me. Nope. We are not going! I mean it this time." Jacob said putting his rather large foot down (metaphorically speaking.)

(Later at Forks' police department)

"I'm really sorry Chief Swan. We didn't mean to make everyone worry. Taking dad's truck without asking was a really stupid move." Jacob said while giving his best friend, and partner in crime the eye. Bella was just happy they got as far as they did. They were able to get to Seattle and almost half way back before the truck, that had been reported as stolen, was pulled over. Billy Black wasn't happy. Causing a man to be late for work never did wonders for his mood. So Jake did what he always does; he took full blame. Of course everyone knew of Bella's thirst for adventure, and of Jake's natural reaction of protecting her. They were two peas in a trouble-making pod.

"It's alright Jake, I know you're sorry." Chief gave his unruly daughter a hard stare. But the look was missed by a non-concerned Bella. "Hey dad, you guys got any doughnuts around here? I mean, this is a police station." Charlie Swan's face was turning purple, Bella could only guess as her father finally really looked at her since she had been brought in by the Chief's best deputy Mark, that Charlie was just now seeing the eye brow piercing Bella had went to Seattle for.

"What in God's name is that!" He yelled while pointing at her face. Bella thought the color he was turning couldn't be healthy for him. Also, there was a killer vein in the old man's forehead that looked ready to burst.

"Oh. Yeah," Bella reached up touching the small bar. "Surprise! Doesn't it look amazing dad? And where are the bloody doughnuts? What self-respecting police station doesn't have doughnuts? That's like Harry Potter without his glasses and wand!" Deputy Mark could no longer hold it back, he doubled over laughing. He was brought up short though when looking into Chief Swan's angry face

"Shut up, Mark! Bella! You and I will be talking about this later." Bella still wanted to ask if they had anything to eat, but felt it was no longer safe to push her luck.

Billy, who had watched the whole scene go down, was getting ready to leave the police station with a somber Jake in tow. Bella tried to help Jake.

"Billy, please don't be too hard on Jake. It was all my idea to take the joy ride. I didn't mean any harm."

The older man looked right at Bella when speaking, his deep voice carrying with it a depressing tone- "I know that, Bella. Truly I do. But that's the thing isn't it? You never mean for anything bad to happen. But your wild ways are going to catch up to you someday little fox. I just don't want my boy to get caught with you."

The trip home left Bella with a lot of time to think on things. She felt awful about Billy and her own father being upset. She never wanted that. Sure her 'wild' ways, as Billy had called them, sometimes caused a stir, but living in a small, boring town like Forks, you had to make your own fun. What did they expect from her? Then she thought about how Jake had always been there for her, how he would always keep her safe and happy. He was like her own personal sun in the rainy town. She never wanted to cause him pain. Never wanted to see the day her 'personal sun' was eclipsed by her troubled ways.

As she crawled into her bed that night, Bella drifted off to sleep thinking about what Billy had said: "Your wild ways are going to catch up to you someday little fox" He had always called her a little fox for her "Curious and clever ways"

/-/

The next morning found a tired Bella, she had slept terrible the night before. Nightmares about shadows, red eyes, and wild things that crept, had her waking up in a cold sweat all through the night. She tried calling Jake that morning, all she got was the answering machine. Which was odd because there was always someone over at the Blacks' place.

Bella tried for two days to get intouch with her friend, only to be met with the answering machine every single time. She knew that if Billy had his way, Jake wouldn't be picking up the phone any time soon. Something didn't sit right in Bella's gut. She felt that two days worth of avoiding her calls was a bit much and decided to go see Jake in person. Surely Billy wouldn't turn her away when she was standing on his door step?

Pulling up to the little red home of her best friend, Bella noticed Billy was sitting on the steps of the front porch. Suddenly she was very nervous. The look upon the older man's face spoke volumes.

Bella looked up to the gray sky as a large gust of wind blew her hair in her eyes. Then she looked into the cloudy eyes of Jake's father, even more unsettled than the clouds he appeared to be. It looked as though a storm was brewing, and in more ways than one.

"Hey Billy, how are you today?" Bella smiled, trying to force her nervousness down. Billy Black got up from the step and made his way down to Bella before she could get closer.

"Good Morning to you, Bella" The quiet tone of his voice made Bella's gut twist with fear. The only other sound to be heard was the gravel under their shifting feet.

"Where's Jake?" She thought maybe if she got right to it, they could move past this weird vibe going on.

"Jake isn't here right now. In fact, Jake won't be here for the rest of the summer." Bella felt like someone had kicked her in the gut. "Why? What do you mean won't be back this summer? Billy, where is he?" She felt tears forming in her eyes. Bella wasn't a cryer. She didn't cry often, but when she did, it was like the flood gates had opened.

"Bella, now just simmer down," Said the old man, holding his hands up in way a one might to calm someone down. "you only have yourself to blame. Always getting into trouble, causing the police, your own father no less, all this stress and worry. I sent Jacob to his mom's house in California. Where he can be with his sisters and help his mom out more around her place."

Bella felt herself shaking with rage. How dare Billy send Jake off like he was some mutt he didn't want anymore! Did he really think this would work? That a life-long friendship would just go up in smoke because Jake was gone for the summer? Bella was pissed to be sure, but more so she was hurt by Billy's actions. Bella had known the Black family all her life. Charlie and Billy had been the best of friends since long before she and Jake were born. So why was Billy treated her like the enemy now? Things didn't add up.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You sent him off to a woman who walked out on him when he was a baby and never looked back? Jake's whole life is here in La Push! His friends, his bike, the cliffs and.." She was cut off by the old man-

"And you? Bella look, Jake was becoming more wreckless looking out for you, keeping up with you. You two need time apart. I'm just looking out for my son. He needs to focus this coming year. He has to if he wants to get into a good college and become the man I know he can be. But he won't do that if he is always trailing after you, where you go, and getting caught up in all your nonsense!" Billy said while shaking his head.

Bella, being angry, hurt, and shocked, left that place that had been a second home to her, and she didn't look back. Tears flowed, for sure. But her eyes remained forward.

/-/

He was gone. Her best friend was gone for the whole summer. Just sent off to live a new life, in a new place. To make new friends. She hadn't even gotten to tell him goodbye. The fact Jake hadn't called her yet spoke volumes. Bella was heartbroken because of what Billy did. She even opened up to her father, something she had never done before. But it was of no use because Charlie was taking Billy's side on this one. Being fed up with his daughter's behavior, he felt Bella needed to learn a few lessons. Chief was upset because Bella seemed to only think about herself and what she wanted. Bella's bad behavior had made Charlie the laughing stock of the small town. Chief Swan's own daughter was the town trouble-maker! The boys down at the station had a good laugh at Charlie Swan's tiny, cute as a button daughter keeping him on his toes. But Charlie Swan was worried too. Bella seemed so reckless. He was worried something would happen to her. The Chief wasn't a man of many words, but he loved his daughter deeply, would do anything to protect her. He would do anything to keep her safe.. even from herself.

Bella started calling Jake every night before Bed. After finally getting over being pissed at Bella for helping in pushing his dad's hand, sending him off, Jake became his normal self. They would talk for a few hours about their summer, what California was like, and how Jake was becoming quite the sufer. To which Bella made fun of him for. Asking him if he would come back sounding like someone from the O.C. Even though they missed each other a lot, they were starting to get into a groove of being apart. And that worried Bella more than anything.

"Jake, do you not even miss me or La Push at all?" She finally asked one rainy, friday night alone. Jake was getting ready to head out to a big party. Bella was feeling left out and lonely. "Bells, come on. Of course I miss you all! But I kind of have to make the best of it you know? I mean, summer can't last forever, right? Just be cool, relax and I'll be back before you know it!"

Bella moved on that summer without her Jake. The first few weeks were the hardest. Being J's side kick was all she knew. She started hanging out with the older boys in La Push. Even though Jake told Bella to be careful, that the older boys were players and into much heavier things than Bella was. That they could get into more trouble than even Bella could handle. She told him to stop worrying, she knew what she was doing. Jake still felt weird about it all. He just hoped the other boys on the rez would keep their word to not only Chief Swan, but the promise they made to Jake when he left: to watch out for his thrill-seeking best friend, to not allow her to hurt herself.

[Three months later]

Jake never came back to Washington that fall. He decided to spend his final year of school in Cali with his new friends and new girlfriend, Vanessa. Bella pretended to take the news well. But what Jake didn't know was after hanging up the phone, she spent the next few days crying her eyes out. But like anything else when you're young, your heart moves on fast and heals. While Bella and Jake still talked, it was becoming few and far between. Jake fell in love with not only California, it's sunny skies, waves and beaches, but also his girlfriend. They even made plans to attend the same college. It was like his whole life fell into place there. Leaving Bella all alone if not for the La Push crew. The same group of older boys Jake worried about his best friend getting in too deep with. Jake knew the stories, the rumors and the dares the boys lived on. He tried to talk to Bella about it, but she would shut him down. Jacob just hoped that the boys would watch after Bella and not turn into a pack of hungry wolves around her.

"Pass me the damn joint, Seth! Man you're hogging it all!" Paul Krowe said while Seth Clearwater coughed his guts up while taking a big hit off the joint. The other boys laughing at him. Bella looked around the circle of La Push boys. The best looking group of guys around. These boys were the popular ones, they were the boys no one messed with. And if you were in their group, you weren't messed with either.

The La Push crew consisted of: Sam Uley, Paul Krowe, Quil Ateara. They were the oldest. Then the younger ones the same age as Bella were: Embry Call and Seth Clearwater.

"Man, that's some strong shit!" Coughed Seth passing the joint back to Paul. Bella had never done drugs before. Not in all the times she had sat in the circle with Jake, his older sisters, Rachel and Leah, and the others. Bella may have been an adrenaline junkie, but she wanted to experience it on its own rush, not with the use of drugs or alcohol. Her own terms. That was one thing her dad had instilled in her that stuck. Life, when seeked out and pushed to its limits, could give you a high that no drug or drink could match.

"Bella, want some?" Asked Paul. He always had a way of making others do anything he wanted them to. All the others but Bella Swan that is. Smiling her innocent smile Bella shook her head. She might hang out with these boys to pass the time, to try and fill the void left by her best friend, but she wasn't about to let her guard down for one second. And she knew getting stoned was most assuredly letting her guard down in the worst way.

"Oh, I see. You're keeping your head clear, keeping your wits about you, huh Swan? That's alright then. More for me." Paul said with a sneer. Something about him made Bella's blood run cold. She could never put her finger on it. Just something about the twenty-one year old made her skin crawl. Jake must've never fully trusted Paul either as he never allowed Bella alone with the boy. Paul had always seemed cold in general but more so towards Bella. It was almost as if he, Paul, was jealous of Bella. And of course Bella knew she was being silly thinking that. What on earth could the leader of this pack of boys have to be jealous of Bella Swan? The only true friend she had was Jake and he was gone now. Gone because of Bella's own selfish, childish actions. Was that the reason for Krowe's hateful attitude towards Bella? But why did Jake's leaving matter so much to Paul when he had a group of boys to worship and follow him?

As Bella was getting ready to head home, twilight was fast approaching, Paul decided to mess with Bella some. "So, Bella now that your little lapdog is gone, not so big and bad now are you?" He said with a hint of venom in his words. The boys laughed, all but Seth, who always did remind Bella of a younger Jacob.

Bella being well, Bella would never back down from someone like Paul. "What the hell does that mean?" She said while standing her ground. Sure Paul Krowe was 6'6" inches tall and had muscle in more places than Bella had ever seen, but he was still just an asshole. A bully.

"What I mean is," Paul took a step closer to Bella while talking in a condesending tone, "now that your safety net known as Jake is gone, you're not so tough with stunts and dares are you? See, I remember a time when you would do just about anything to prove how badass you were. You were always a hellcat little Bella. What happened to your fire? What happened to the gut check moments you used to have? Oh, that's right, it moved to California and has a hot little piece of ass to fuck now!" The boy laughed.

Bella could feel the tears trying to come but she'd be damned if she would give this asshole the pleasure of knowing and seeing that he got to her. Squaring her shoulders, she looked the idiot right in his eyes. "Name it."

Krowe smiled a knowing, wicked grin. Seth spoke up before Paul could respond, "Bella, no way! You can't. You promised Jake no crazy shit. Remember? Besides he'll have all our asses if you get hurt. Plus, your dad will freak the fuck out if you end up with a broken leg again like you did last time you listened to Paul!" Seth said while cutting a cold look at Krowe.

"SETH, SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Paul was in the young boy's face faster than anyone could blink. Something in the tone of his voice, the manner in which he seemed almost giddy to have her do a dare made Bella's body break out in chills. Something told Bella if she were ever in real trouble, Krowe would be the last person to help her.

"You heard Bella. She said to name it. And I will." Paul said turning toward Bella. No one said a thing. They just waited for the dare Paul was thinking up for Bella. Seth kept looking between Bella and Paul. He could tell by Paul's stance and Bella's eyes neither was going to back down.

"I dare you Bella Swan to spend 24 hours alone in the old Masen house. No phone. No company. Just you, a flash light and a video camera to show proof you went through with the dare. Do you accept? Or are you too big of a crybaby to do it?" If ever Bella wanted to hit someone, it was now.

Bella felt like she had been hit in the stomach by a two by four. She knew of the stories about the old Masen property. Where the older couple was brutally killed, only time in Forks' history that a killing took place. No one knew what happened just that a masacre had taken place there and the Masen's only child, a son, Edward Masen, jr. went missing. Rumor had it that Mr. and Mrs. Masen were killed in the middle of the night thrity years ago and that when police went to check upon the missing couple, the house was torn apart and their bedroom looked as though it had been painted in blood. The bodies of Elizabeth and Edward Masen found lying side by side. Their throats had been ripped open. Their seventeen year old son, Edward jr. was never found. No one knew if he had killed his parents and taken off or perhaps was also a victim in the tragic slayings. No body was ever found. Why would someone take his body? No one knew for sure, but everyone talked about it. All through high school many kids went to the old Masen house to see who was brave enough to step foot in the yard. But no one had every been brave enough to even be on the front porch much less inside the house. The home itself gave off a feeling of loneliness. If any house was to be haunted, the old Masen house was most likely. And here Bella had to be there for 24 hours. Alone. In the dark.

Bella didn't really like the idea of this dare. She liked the rush of doing something that could get her in trouble, that tested her physically. This dare was more physcologically testing than anything else. But she wouldn't let Paul see her sweat this. She wouldn't back down.

"Ok. Fine, I'll do it. But not tonight." She said

"And why the hell not tonight? You're really that big of a chicken shit, Bella?" Paul was baiting her.

"Bite me, Paul. No I can't tonight because Charile isn't work double. As in he will be home. You know Charlie, my dad who happens to be the damn chief of police? Idiot." Bella said the last part under her breath.

"Alright. Cool with me. Tomorrow night then." Paul said while walking back to his jeep. But then turned one more time, "Oh, and Bella? Don't forget to bring your hello kitty flashlight!" The group of boys following him doubled over laughing.

Bella's only reply was; "Does that mean you're done borrowing it from me?"

Paul's responce was not verbal, but one single finger in the air.. In which Bella replyed blowing a kiss.

When Bella got home that night she fixed dinner for her and Charlie. The normal everyday things took place. All the while Bella's mind raced as she thought about what tomorrow night would bring. Bella wasn't afraid of much. And she didn't really believe in all the ghost stories the local kids told about the old Masen place. But still she didn't like the idea of having to spend a full night in that nasty spider filled house alone in the dark, out in the woods.. She was brought out of her thoughts when Charlie put his dish in the sink. Bella still needed to make sure her dad was going to be working the double shift tomorrow night or else her dare would never happen. He always did, but she wanted to make sure.

"Hey pops, what do you want me to make for dinner tomorrow night?" Now Bella knew nothing would have raised an eyebrow faster than her asking Charlie if he worked tomorrow night. Parents normally could spot when their kids wanted to do something not allowed. A father who was also a cop made things even harder for Bella.

"Bells, tomorrow is Thursday. You know I always work doubles on Thursdays. And Mark and I grab a bite from the diner." He looked at his daughter with worry.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry I must have forgotten what day it was." Bella said with an added laugh.

" You sure you're feeling ok?" Charlie looked at her like she was crazy.

"Yep. I'm just fine." But deep inside Bella wondered if she was really fine. If so, why did she keep putting herself in these crazy situations? Why couldn't she stop with all these dares? And most importantly, why did this dare worry her so much? Looking out the kitchen window, into the night, Bella wondered what tomorrow night would be like. Alone in a "haunted" house in the woods. Only time would tell..

A/N Second part of story (with Edward) to be posted as soon as I can. Thanks for reading! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Guess what? I don't own Twilight. So who does? Stephenie Meyer!

-The Dare-  
Chapter two

The next morning, the morning of the dare, Bella was all over the place in her mind. She wanted to know why Paul seemed so happy about this dare. She couldn't shake the feeling he was up to something. Maybe he really thought she wouldn't go through with it, thus allowing him and the other boys to dog Bella about it forever. That certainly was something Paul Krowe would do. She would never forget the time of her thirteenth birthday when she had gotten Jake to take her cliff jumping like all the other older kids were doing. Jacob hated the idea and told Bella so. But it was Bella's only birthday wish, and so they did it.

There were two different heights on the cliff to jump from. Everyone always started out on the lower level, building themselves up to the top of the cliff. But Paul wouldn't hear of it. He made sure to put Bella in the most awful position ever- either she did it like they did, from the highest cliff, or she was labeled a cry-baby. Never mind the fact it was her first jump- Paul didn't care about that. He just wanted to hurt and humiliate Bella Swan. Leah, who was home for the weekend from her first semester of college, stood up for Bella-

"Paul why don't you shut up, huh? If memory serves me right, you didn't jump from the highest point on your first jump, now did you?" That angered Paul and just ended up giving him more amo to use on Bella. Seventeen year old Paul turned his anger on thirteen year old Bella in the worst way..

"You know what? She isn't one of us, Leah!" He yelled in front of everyone at the cliffs, "But yet here she is, every damn weekend pretending to be a part of our group. If it weren't for Jacob, she wouldn't be welcome at all! I say little Casper here has to earn her place among us. And how does she do that? By showing she has the guts, and the heart to be here," Paul's way of talking made a person feel as if they were stupid and worthless. Bella was already starting to come into her own, but like any young girl, she had her moments where she felt she didn't fit in. Just so happened Krowe had hit one of those nerves that day.

"What'd you say, Bella? Can you do it - find the warrior within yourself, or will you prove me right that you're just a silly little poser?"

Bella jumped off the top level that day, even without Jake and Leah's blessing. Lucky for her, and for Paul, she didn't get hurt. And that was the day she really started proving she deserved to be apart of the La Push family because she loved her best friend Jake, and loved the La Push people. That was also the day a mutual hatred formed between Bella Swan and Paul Krowe.

Bella spent the morning getting the house clean, fixing breakfast for her dad and making sure she didn't seem overly nervous. She didn't want to tip off Charlie in any way about what she would be doing. Bella had also done some research into the old Masen murder. Was it the smart thing to do, read old news reports about the gruesome murder right before she was to spend time alone in the very same house the murders took place? No. But Bella wanted to get as much information as possible. She always felt the more you knew about something, the less likely to be afraid of it you were. .. or so she hoped. All she knew was Mr. and Mrs. Masen's throat's had been ripped open, but no signs of an intruder was seen. It just didn't make any sense. When the area around Forks was searched for their son's body- nothing was found. The case was still to this day unsolved.

Around two in the afternoon Charlie told Bella he was leaving for work. "Make sure everything is locked up tonight before you go to bed. I'll have my cell on and Claire will be at the station answering phones." He always said the same things. Bella found it sweet, and a bit annoying.

"I know dad. I may .. bend the rules from time to time, but I am street smart. Pop, you raised me right. Don't worry so much." She smiled up at her father. Charlie still couldn't believe how much Bella looked like Renee. Sometimes it made him miss his wife even more. He thought about maybe visiting her grave after his double was over.

"Ok Bells," He said backing away. "I'm your father. I have to go through the list: Don't talk to stangers, don't anwser the door after dark, don't burn my house down and no boys." He said listing them off one by one on his fingers. Bella loved to get the old man going, it was just too easy.

"Right. So.. I guess I can't do what I did last time which was: Let a strange boy in, spend the night talking to him while we burn the house down ... damn shame. I was so looking forward to a repeat!" She held in a laugh when she saw the wheels in Charlie's mind start to spin, his hand rested on his gun while eyes shifted around.. like said 'boy' would jump out of the closet naked holding matches.

Sighing, he opened the front door. "Bella, please be good. Love you." And he was gone. The sound of the cruiser backing out of the driveway could be heard. Bella waited until the sound was gone and bolted up the stairs. Her blood was pumping fast in her veins at the thought of what lay ahead. She knew Charlie would be home around eight in the morning, nine if he went for breakfast at the diner. She also knew that he wouldn't bother to check on her until around ten..so that gave her some time to work with. Good thing Seth was picking Bella up and would help cover for her for the rest of the time she would be gone. This was the part of the dares that she liked most- knowing you could get caught, but being good enough that you didn't. They had everything worked out, nothing could go wrong..

/x/

" Bells, you sure about this? I know you think you have to do this, but really you don't. Paul can just get over his bullshit." Seth had picked Bella up soon after Chief left for work. Bella could tell Seth was worried about her spending the night alone in the woods. It was nice to have someone close to Jake that seemed to still care about her. She wouldn't flat out tell Seth her worries over Paul, her feelings that he was up to no good, but she did have some questions about him. In true Bella style she just jumped right in with both feet; "Has Paul said anything to you about me? I mean, I know he and I have never seen eye to eye, but I just can't figure out what I could have done to make him hate me so much, you know?" Bella said while looking out the window, the trees at this speed were just a blur of green and brown. The forests around Forks were rich and full of life. That was the only good thing about dealing with the almost constant rainfall- it made things grow, made them thrive.

"That's the thing B, I don't know what makes him act like that! I know Paul's always had a short fuse, but the way he is with you- like he is out of control with anger. He's been this way since his dad passed away. Maybe he just wants to prove that he's a big bad leader. But don't think that how Paul feels is how the rest of us feel. I don't agree with Paul on a lot of things, Bella." Seth had been standing up for Bella with the whole Paul thing. It wasn't an easy task either. Paul had a lot of sway with the La Push boys.

"Thanks Seth. But please don't get Paul mad at you for my sake. I can handle the jackass. I just wish I knew what had his panties in a twist." Bella spent the rest of the thirty minute drive not speaking, just letting her thoughts consume her.

The old Masen house had been specially built for Mrs. Masen by her husband. The family have moved to Forks from Chicago, wanting to live a peaceful life in a small town. The house itself had been very beautiful in its time. It was a two story home with a wrap around porch, stone pillars on either side of wide stone steps. At one time Mrs. Masen had a vast flower bed to the front right side of the house. And an ivy trellis ran along the left side. Now those were grown over and no longer looked anything like flowers. It was like the house was still in mourning. Sadly the house was just empty as no one wanted to restore a home where such a brutal attack had taken place.

Seth turned down the old gravel road that lead to the house. Mostly over taken by weeds, but some of the "driveway" was still visible.

"Oh, before I forget.. here," Seth reached down into his jean pocket and pulled out a necklace, giving it to Bella. "This was given to me by my grandfather," It was a sterling silver arrowhead on a black leather rope. The piece felt heavy in Bella's palm. " Grandfather said the arrowhead would bring luck to any who wore it. And well, I thought you could use some. Not that there's anything to worry about. Just, you know- to have something with you. To remind you that you aren't really alone." Seth smiled, his dark eyes sparkling. Bella was touched by the gift. Who knew Seth Clearwater would turn out to be such a good friend.

"Thank you, Seth. It really means a lot. I promise to keep it safe." Bella felt ready now. She would show Paul Krowe she was up for anything, even his childish dare. And he could kiss her "Casper" ass!

When the old white house came into view, Bella's breathing hitched. It was like nothing about the surrounding forest had been disturbed. Just enough of the lot had been cleared for the builders to put the house on and that was it. The rest was forest. Bella thought about that: If the house looked this creepy in daylight, what about when night was upon her and there was no one around for miles and miles?

Bella waved bye to Seth, watching his truck go around the bend.

She looked around her as she stood in the weed filled driveway. The trees that line the 'yard' were tall and thick. A bird was singing somewhere in the distance and the wind blew some of her hair in her face. She noticed a sound coming from the house .. bells? Bella walked slowly up the pathway to the home, up the stone steps that were covered with moss and dirt. She hoped the wood of the porch was still strong and would hold her weight. The sound of bells grew louder here.. it was coming from the right side of the porch, around the corner. Bella peaked around looking for the source: Wind chimes. Silver wind chimes hung from the rafters of the porch. A tiny angel with beautiful glass wings of blue and green allowed what little sunlight there was to show through, casting a rainbow across the porch floor. Bella didn't know why, but something about seeing that little angel gave her peace. The chimes made a sweet, albeit sad tune. If only she could just stay out here for the dare.. but she gave her word she would spend the night in this old house and she would do just that.

Breaking down an old door isn't as easy as some would think- The door itself was rusted and worn by the weather. The whole house was in need of some TLC. Sad, thought Bella. It would have been an amazing home for some family. Now it just sits here out in the middle of nowhere wasting away. Once Bella was able to break the lock, she took a deep breath and opened the front door to the Masen house. She almost felt like knocking, seemed so rude to just walk in. The door creaked like something out of a horror movie, the only light from the front door being opened, showed a large foyer, and an open floor plan for the most part. When the light from the outside was allowed in after so many years of darkness, a mouse not liking the new visitor and the light, ran across the floor. It made sense to Bella now why the home always made her feel lonely and hopeless: The sadness within shows through to the outside.

Stepping inside, the smell of mold and dust seemed to hang thick in the air. Bella was shocked to see there were still some small pieces of furniture in the home. Home. It wasn't really a home anymore, was it? No it was just a structure that served as gossip and ghost stories for the bored teens in Forks. Bella didn't want to close the door as it was the only light source, seeing as how all the windows were covered. But she thought she better get used to the dark- in a few hours, she would be cloaked in it.

The sun had set at seven right on the nose. The house grew colder as the night crept up. Though Bella had stuck down stairs, not trusting the wooden steps on the wide staircase, she had snooped about the lower level. She found that nothing exciting had happened- other than a spider the size of a bus slowly crawling across the wall. Mostly, Bella found herself bored to tears. But that might have had something to do with the day light. Things didn't look as bad when sunlight shone upon you. Even if Forks only had a small amount, it was better than nothing. But now with her flashlight on, seeing the dust particals, thick, floating in front of her light as she walked around, making shadows dance against the walls as she passed, Bella wasn't liking this dare at all. And even if it be only a trick of her imagination, she swore she could smell death all around her. To make matters worse, it started to storm. The wind had picked up and was howling against the old house. Rain so hard against the roof, Bella worried if the old place could handle it?

"Figures. With my luck, the roof will cave in on me. This is so stupid!" Bella was pissed at herself for allowing Paul to rope her into this lame dare. She wasn't really afraid of the house per se, not of ghosts, but of her clumsy side getting her killed. And without a phone, bad idea on her part. Just then a very loud crash of thunder hit, it seemed to make the whole frame of the house shake and Bella jumped. Thing about Bella Swan was, when she got scared, she got pissed. It was a really odd thing. Most people cried, screamed or ran when afraid. Bella got very angry when she was feeling frightened. She had yet to find anything that truly scared her.

She cleaned off an old foot stool she found in the hallway near the kitchen- checking for spiders, she sat down. With her back close to a wall, she waited. Nothing else to do really.

About an hour into the storm another loud thump shook the house - only this time is wasn't thunder. Bella got up, pointed her flashlight down the dark house.. nothing could be seen from where she stood near the foyer. Just then a sound came from behind her. It sounded as if someone or something stepped up onto the front porch. Bella thought maybe Seth had come back to check on her since it was a pretty bad storm. But as Bella went to open the door a growl from the other side stopped her. Her hand was on the door handle, but if there was a bear out there, no way she was going to open it. But it proved not to be a bear when the doorknob, in her hand...turned.

"Oh," Bella grabbed it with both hands and stopped breathing. Whatever was on the other side of the door.. wanted in. But just as soon as it had growled and tried to get in..it went away. A chill ran through Bella. She hadn't let go of the handle yet and she was still holding her breath. She heard something.. a thumping again. This time from the back door that was in a mud room off the kitchen, at the other end of the house.

"Oh shit!" Bella realized too late that the back door was easy enough to break into. Just as the sound of glass breaking could be heard, She tried for the front door only to have the door stick. With no time left, she ran up the stairs. Bella's flashlight wasn't very powerful but she kepting going. As she reached half way up the stairs, her hands that had been on the railing ran over a very sharp nail that was sticking up. Time seemed to freeze. She felt the blood run down her fingers and even though her human ears couldn't hear the 'drop, drop, drop' of her blood on the dusty steps, someone else in the house could. Bella heard the growl again coming from below her in the living room. She didn't turn to look but started to climb again, just as a shadow moved in front of her about ten feet away. Looking up at the top of the stairs stood .. something. Had it been in the house with her all along?

"Oh god." Bella said in a whisper. There two of them? And then her flashlight went out. Bella started to step down, but then remembered the growl. Turning behind her, at the bottom of the staircase was something big. It stood tall and was almost as wide as the stairs themselves. The term 'between a rock and a hard place' came to Bella's mind. She was about to just jump over the railing and hope she could out-run them when the.. thing at the bottom of the stairs lept for her, clutching her pant leg in its hot mouth, it started to drag Bella down the steps. She vagily remembered hearing a sharp hiss from the shadow at the top of the stairs. She kicked at the black thing, throwing her flashlight, all the while getting closer to it while it pulled her. Just as it was looming over her, she saw it was a wolf. But not just a normal wolf: It had the body of a wolf, only larger, its size was that of a great grizzly. It's head was huge, mouth full of teeth, its hot breath on her face. Its eyes were what caught Bella the most: Large, yellow eyes that seemed to shine in the dark house. Eyes that looked almost human. As the wolf took a snap at her face, the shadow blured past Bella, knocking the wolf away from her.

"Fuck!" Bella didn't wait to watch the fight, she ran out the back door that was now hanging off the hinges. The rain was still pouring. Sheets of it coming down so hard Bella could hardly see anything. But she ran to the front of the house- better that than going for the forest where she knew she would end up lost. Just as she found the gravel drive, a massive crash out the front door had her turning around. The wolf. It was coming for her and this time- the shadow wasn't there to help. She tried to run but the rain had turned everything into a mud pit, it was of no use. The wolf jumped her, kocking her down. Trapped under the beast, Bella did the only thing she could think of: she feels the arrowhead pendant Seth Clearwater lent her. It's silver. Pure silver. Would it work? Could the myths about werewolves being killed by silver really be true? Surely not. Then again, Bella always thought myths about werewolves were just that- myth, made up stories. With nothing to lose, Bella yanks on the necklace, breaking the leather rope. She takes the arrowhead and drives the sharp part into the paw of the animal. The wolf howls in pain. Just as he does, the shadowy figure hits the wolf full force, knocking it into a tall pine tree, breaking the tree in half. The wolf gets up and runs off into the dark forest.

A pale hand reaches down to help Bella up. She tries to look into her saviors face but the night and pouring rain won't allow for it. So she settles for asking the most important question:

"Did we kill it? Is it gone?"

"No," The voice belongs to a man. His tone is strong and smooth. Bella feels a shiver run through her. From the falling rain or the man before her, she wasn't sure. "but I'd say you severly pissed it off. Nice trick with the silver. How'd you know to use it?"

Getting to her feet, she replys; "Oh, easy- I watch a lot of horror movies." She can see his face a little better now. He seems young- maybe early twenties? He is dressed in a long black coat. He has dark hair and seems to be almost as tall as Jacob.

" See kiddies, a lot of TV can be a good thing after all!" He said looking back into the forest where the wolf ran off. Bella looks down as she feels a pulling on her leg. Her jeans were ripped from where the wolf had attacked her earlier in the house.

"Oh God, it scratched me! Will I turn into a werewolf now?" Bella was starting to panic.

"No little human. Werewolves aren't like vampires or like what you see in movies. Do they have a wicked reaction to silver? Yes. Are they ugly, hairy bastards? Hell yeah. A bite from a werewolf will hurt, burn like hell and could kill you- but does not make you one. Unlike vampire bites, the werewolf problem is a generational curse. Passed down from father to son. 'Welcome to manhood son! Not only do you get boners at all times of the night and day, but you're also going to be getting a lot of hair in some very odd places, have bloody awful mood swings, want to hump the mailman before you attack him, and oh, yeah every full moon you will turn into a wild beast and eat your neighbors' cat!' Poor bastards." Bella stood there torn between thinking this man was insane or brilliant.

"How.. do you know so much. And what are you doing here? ..wait. Did you said vampires?"

Note: I thought this little story of mine would only be two parts.. but now I'm thinking a few more. More Edward to come *evil laugh


	3. Chapter 3

**Meyer owns Twilight. LondonGoth own this plot.**

**A/N I should mention that this Edward is kinda OOC Our dear Edward wasn't turned in the early 1900's so he has a more modern take on things. **

**This chapter has some gore in it (hence the 'M' rating!) Come to think of it, these ain't your Meyer's vampires or werewolves ;)**

**Songs for chapter: "Mouth" by Bush & "Broken" By Seether feat. Amy Lee**

**-The Dare- **

**Chapter 3**

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Bella and the stranger stood there in the pouring rain facing each other. The man's hair was sticking to his forehead, much like Bella's was.

"Listen red riding hood, do you think we could move this little chat indoors? This would make for a kick-ass music video. The-hot-girl-all-wet scene, but I'd rather not if it's all the same to you." He was looking at Bella with a small smirk on his face. She didn't understand how he could remain so calm. They had both just been attacked by a giant wolf hell-bent on eating them! Yet here he stands looking more annoyed than anything.

"I don't want to go back into that house. Ever again." Bella said while shaking her head. And she meant it. If she never stepped foot inside that damned house again, it would be too soon.

"Ok. Seeing as how you almost got eaten, I can understand your reasons for not wanting to go back inside. But it's the only shelter around here. And unless you brought a car - I'm not seeing one - it's the only place to go so I can answer your questions." Bella looked around realizing he was right. She looked back at the old white house with a frown. She wanted to burn it to the ground. Nothing good had come from that house. Not thirty years ago and not now.

"Fine. How about the porch? Do you think the wolf will come back soon?" She looked around while a chill ran down her spine. She had almost forgotten about the beast. Hard thing to do considering she could still feel the wolf's weight on her. She could still feel the heat from its mouth.

"Porch works for me. No I don't think the wolf will be back. He must be off licking his wounds ... or his ass. Now, after you little human." He said while bowing in an over-the-top way.

Who was this man? And again with the little human comment.

Back on the porch, Bella looked up at the little angel wind chime she had first encountered earlier today- seemed like a lifetime ago. It still gave her a feeling of peace and she didn't see how it could. She was really surprised it made it through the storm. Come to think of it, Bella was surprised she had made it through.

"Which question do you want me to answer first?" He asked while leaning back against the railing of the old porch. Bella was able to see him more clearly here. He was tall, had pale skin- even paler than Bella's and that was saying something. His hair was very dark, but that could have been from the rain, and it hung in his eyes. She had the irrational desire to brush it back. He seemed to be very strong in build, long legs and wide shoulders. Something about the way he stood, spoke and looked made her heart skip beats. He seemed so in control.

"Who are you?" Bella was standing far away from the man. Her back was pressed against the house. Even if he did save her from the beast, she didn't trust him yet.

"Edward Cullen - Formerly Edward Masen Jr." He said looking off into the forest with a small frown, as if listening for something.

"That's not possible." It couldn't be. Unless he was some distant family member.. but even then the name 'Masen Jr' That meant he was .. No. Not possible.

"I assure you it is. This is my parents' home." He said it with an air of longing looking up at the house.

"The Masen family died. And their only child went missing. Are you really standing here right now trying to tell me you're what.. their long lost son?"

"What if I am? So hard to believe?" There was a sadness in his eyes- like he didn't expect her to believe him. Well good because she didn't!

"Yes! I've read the reports. Edward Masen jr was never found, but that was thirty years ago! He was seventeen," She spoke as if he were a child. She didn't know if this guy was just plain crazy or what but she wasn't buying it. "If he were still alive today he would be almost fifty! That can't be you. If it was, I'd ask what your secret was because you look amazing for a fifty year old man!" Bella said while giving him a pointed look.

"Thank you, little human." He had the nerve to look proud.

"You're mental! Totally out of your mind! And why the hell do you keep calling me little human? Was that thing that attacked me really a werewolf? How is that even in the realm of possible? And vampires? You said something about vampires- what about them? Are zombies real too? What were you doing in the house? How do you know so much about werewovles?" She was going a mile a mintue. To his credit, the man just took it all in.

"No. I'm not crazy.. no more than most. I call you a human because that's what you are: a funny, oblivious little human. Yes, that was a real werewolf. You will soon find out that there is a whole realm of things possible that humans just don't want to see. And as for vampires- they are very much real and walking among you. I was in the house because I smelled you there and came to see what you were doing in my family's old home. I also smelled the stink of that hairy bastard and figured I could be of some use. As for knowing about werewolves ... one tends to read up on the thing that killed his family. The only zombies I know of work in the whitehouse. Anything else or can we move on?" His arms crossed over his chest made him look put out.

Bella was unable to move or breathe. Her mind was racing.

"Tell me." She looked him right in the eyes. She was going to call his bluff.

"Excuse me, tell you what?"

"How you are able to look as young as me. How you were able to send that wolf off.. and tell me what happened to the Masen family."

A shadow crossed Edward's face. Her questions sending him back to a time he relived many many times before. A time he couldn't forget no matter how many years on this earth he lived. Memories carved into his brain, sounds from the past in his ears that would never fade. The smell of blood in the air. A pain so deep in his heart sometimes he wondered how he kept standing.

"Ok, I will. But you might want to hold on tight little human.. it's about to become a very bumpy ride."

"My life before moving to Washington was great. I had friends, a steady string of girls I was dating, I had a band I was in with a few of my best buddies. I didn't want to leave Chicago. Not for anything and certainly not for Forks. When my mother told me we were moving to some backwater town, well let's just say I wasn't as understanding as I could have been. I made a choice right there that I wouldn't make the move easy on them. I made the choice to piss my father off at every turn and hurt my mother's feelings. My parents were so in love it was nauseating to be around. They seemed so happy, they kept talking about how much better a life this would be. No stress of living in a big city. No crime..." He pulls back from the memory for a moment, anger slides through his veins like a snake coiling in his stomach. The words he needed to say getting stuck in his throat. Edward tried to pace himself. He didn't want to miss anything. Better to tell it once, get it right, then he wouldn't have to drag it out by having to repeat himself.

"A few months living here and I was ready to pull out my hair. I hated it. Every fucking thing about this town I hated: the people, the lack of places to go and things to do. The girls here weren't anything like the girls back home. They weren't really up on the lastest fashion trends, or music. They just weren't as hot. If that sounds shallow to you, that's because it is. And I was ok with that. But mom loved it here. She had space to grow a garden, plant flowers and take pitctures of the forests. Dad, well he just wanted whatever made her happy. So life moved on slowly and I counted the days until I could go to college back home in Chicago."

Edward turned his eyes back to Bella. He seemed to be studying her face for something. If he found it or not she didn't know. And before she could ask, he was moving on with the story.

"The night they.. died, it had been a bad day. My father and I had been in a screaming match with one another over some trouble I had gotten into at school. He just kept telling me over and over how disappointed in me he was. My mother, ever the voice of reason, asked us to stop fighting and to calmly talk it out. Dad said he was going outside to cool off. My mother came to sit by me at the dinner table. She put her small arms around me and told me how sorry she was that I was so unhappy here. She said that if I would just give it a chance, she knew I would find my place. I didn't want to tell her that she was wrong. That the place I wanted to be was far from Forks. She then told me to go make things right with my dad. She was always the peacemaker.

Just as I got up, dad came through the back door looking as if he had seen the devil himself. He walked over the to the closet by the laundry room, getting the shot gun out. His movements were so robotic. He wouldn't answer us when we asked what was wrong. He just turned around, heading back for the door. Last words my father spoke to me that night were 'protect you mother no matter what you hear.' I looked at my mother's face, shock and worry all over her. We knew there were wild animals all around us. Living this close to the national park, you expected to have a run in of some kind, that's why we got a shot gun to start with. All three of us learned to use it. Being from Chicago, we never had a need for a gun until moving to this damn place. Just as I was about to follow dad, a shot rang out causing my mother to jump a foot in the air. Then we heard my father's screams. You don't know what it's like to hear you father scream like that. The man who taught you how to be a man was screaming like a small child- scared out of his wits. I ran to the back door and pulled it open just in time to see.." Edward takes a deep breath and a look of horror, anger and sadness is so clear on his face, that it hits Bella so hard she almost can't hold herself up. She wants to stop here because she has a feeling Mr. Masen came face to face with the same thing she did. Only he didn't have a shadow to save him.

" I see my father on the ground screaming for us to run while this ... thing, this animal attacks him. It was clawing at his outsides until his insides spill out everywhere. I couldn't move. I was just frozen there watching as it tore him apart like it was nothing. Shaking him like he was a ragdoll. My father was alive and well mintues before, even yelling at me for skipping class. But right before my eyes he was being killed. I wanted to get the gun and shoot the fucking thing right between the eyes but the gun was under it as it began to ... finish him off. Dad's words filled my head 'protect your mother no matter what' so I shut the door, bit back the urge to throw up. I hated myself for turning my back, leaving my father. I took my crying mother up the stairs to my parents' bedroom. I was going to call the police to come and kill it- to send it back to hell where it belongs. But before I could, it came for us. It seemed to shake the house with each step it took. I could hear the claws on the stairs."

He looked at Bella, seeing she wasn't doing so good. He comes near her, hands up in a show of 'I won't hurt you' and he puts a cold hand on her shoulder. "Breathe, little human. Just breathe." How could he be comforting Bella when he was the one telling about the night the Masen's were murdered?

"You ok now?" He asks her in a soft voice. Bella could only nod while taking another deep breath.

"I could hear it on the steps in the house, the same steps you were on tonight," That sends another chill through Bella. "I pushed my mom behind me, grabbing the only thing in the room to defend us with: a baseball bat. It hit the door so hard that it splintered into pieces. I was always athletic but even swinging as hard as I could did nothing to it. I broke the damn Louisville slugger over its head and it still managed to send me flying across the room, knocking me into a wall. Darkness flashed before my eyes and I couldn't move. I watched it come for my mom. I knew then I had failed my family. My father's dying wish - that I look after mom and I couldn't do it. It swiped at her with its paw, shredding her skin across her shoulder and face like it was a knife through butter. Her beautiful face sliced open, flesh hanging off. I still couldn't move. I realized I couldn't feel my legs. I started yelling at it, thinking maybe I could get it to come after me- finish me off. Give my mom enough time to run away. But as I looked at her there on the floor, there was so much blood pooling around her small frame I knew it was hopeless. And then I heard something: a gasping for air to my right."

As long as Bella lived she would never forget the haunted look on Edward's face as he told the next part. The next part that would star in her nightmares for a very long time.

"In that moment as I looked toward the bedroom door, I realized the wolf had dragged my father's body up the stairs with it. My father was on the brink of death, just barely hanging on. I knew then why it had done that- it wanted my father to watch as it killed my mother. I started to realize this wasn't just some rogue wild animal. I realized that this monster was planning his moves. The wolf began to growl at my mom. It was almost like it was speaking to her. Dad tried so fucking hard to talk. It came out sounding like a gurgle. I started yelling again, cursing the demon. Damning it to hell. It swatted at her like a kitten would a ball. I was in hell - seeing her being killed and hearing and watching my father slowly die a very painful death. Watching him watch the woman he loves being torn apart."

Bella spoke up. Her voice just a whisper in the night air. "Oh God. The police report said.. it said their throats were cut but it said nothing about.. all that."

Edward's voice cold as ice and hard as steel, "No. It wouldn't would it? They kept it all secret from the public. Not wanting to show their fears that they either had some really fucked up killer or a rabid man-eating animal on the loose in tiny Forks Washington! They covered their tracks almost as well as the wolf did. I've read all the police reports and news from local stations. They also said there were no signs of an intruder, didn't they? I guess doors being ripped in half wasn't a sign to them. I lay there helplessly watching that thing kill my family. My father as good as dead, my mother soon to be and there was me- I couldn't move my lower body, my breathing was coming out in short pants and blood was running down my head. I knew I was dying. It wasn't until later on that I would learn how bad my injuries had been that night."

"What do you mean? If that was you, if you were there, how are you alive today?" Bella didn't know if she could take anymore. As it were, her stomach was rolling and her head spinning.

"Who said I was alive?" The way he said it made Bella's blood run cold. She was still on the fence that this man was either insane or amazing. Maybe both?

"Just when I knew I was losing my mind not being able to save her or him, the calvary showed up. Three people came rushing in and the wolf.. I will never forget the terror in its cold yellow eyes. It was afraid. I remember how it just broke through the second story window disappearing into the night from where it came"

"Why would a werewolf be afraid of them and not you and your family? It makes no sense!" Bella's human mind was trying to fit all the pieces but just couldn't.

"It wouldn't little hu... maybe you should just tell me your name? But no the wolves aren't afraid of humans. Not at all."

"Then why would it run away?" She looked deep into his eyes, "And the name is Bella. Bella Swan" Her stupid heart skipped a beat when he smiled at her.

"Because Bella Swan, they weren't human. No. My refuge wouldn't be found in the arms of an angel, but in the arms of the undead. Three of them: A tall, thin man with hair so blond it was almost white. He seemed to be in his late thirties and had an air of control and gentleness about him. He spoke with a faint English accent. The other two could have passed for angels in looks. The most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes upon was just standing in the doorway as the man and another girl, she was much smaller with spiky black hair, checked on my mother and father. The blond had a refined face and body that would have made even gay men take notice. She seemed to be holding her breath. I turned back to watch to other two, hoping with everything in me they could help my parents. I didn't give a fuck about me. Just them. Mom and dad had to make it." He shifted his feet seeming to pull himself from one memory to another.

"Alice, he called the small one, he told her to check my father and as she did her small pixie face showed such sadness it seemed wrong for someone so sweet to have such a look. She shook her head to tell him my father was gone. I remember screaming at them all. I had been so caught up in them showing up, in the wolf crashing out the window that I missed my father's passing. My mother was trying to say something to the man. He leaned down to listen. The dark haired girl came over to me and tried to help me but I still couldn't move. I found out later on, much later, that my mother had asked the man Carlisle, to save me. She begged with her last few breaths for him to help me. Looking over at me, and then at the small girl, he asked her what my injuries were- she told him it was bad..very bad. So he knew the only way he would be able to save me, as he had promised my mom, was to turn me. But he didn't have much time as I was fading in and out. One thing about Carlisle, his humanity is stronger than anyone I've ever known. He didn't want to give me a cursed life. To him death seemed the more humane thing to do. But he didn't have to make the choice because the beautiful blond that stood in the doorway made the choice for us all. The blond who they called Rosalie changed me that night right there in the bloody bedroom of my parents. Just as my mother faded from this world never to return, I was changed to be a part of it forever."

Tears were running down Bella's face. She didn't know what to say or what to think. It was all too much. Too much for her head, too much for her heart. Did she believe what he was saying to be true? She wasn't sure, but something about him made her want to trust what he told her.

"She begged for me to have life, to live. To achieve that all I had to do was die. That's irony for you ladies and gents. And that, little human Bella, is how I became a vampire. That is how I still look seventeen years old thirty years later, that is how I know what happened that night, and that is how I know how to kill a werewolf- which I plan to do. This time I won't let my family down. I've come back just in time to kill that which took my life from me. To put an end to something that should have never been. I won't fucking stop until I rip his heart out. I will tear this town apart to get to him. And you are going to be the one to help me. Together you and I will set right the wrong."

"Me? How can I help you?" She was almost afraid to know the answer.

"How do you feel about being bait?" The smirk back on his handsome face.

Bella Swan looked at Edward Cullen, the man who lived through hell. The man who saved her from being another victim. She knew she would do whatever she could to help him. Even track down a werewolf..

**A/N More to come! Thank you for reading and BIG thanks to those who leave a review :) There are a lot of readers from around the world reading/favoriting this little story of mine- pretty amazing!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I owns this plot!**

**A/N: This would have been posted days ago but FFN hasn't been working for me. Let me just say it is a good thing they don't charge for posting here! ****lol **

**Thanks to Chris for reading, editing, and being the eye candy! Chris, your personality is in Edward! Makes you so happy, yes? **

**Song for chapter 4 "people are strange" By The Doors**

**-The Dare-**

**Chapter 4**

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"How do I know I can trust you? You're a vampire after all. And what happens if you get, you know" She waved her hand around like he would know what she meant. He didn't. Bella had finally eased up a bit and was sitting crossed leg on the porch as the rain continued to come down in bucket fulls. After hearing about the awful way the Masen family had died, Edward included in a weird horror movie way, Bella knew she could at least trust him to a certain point.

"If I get what? Little human, I might be a lot of things, but a mind reader isn't one of them." He had folded his long legs to mirror Bella's position.

Bitting the inside of her cheek Bella spoke as if telling a massive secret, all the while looking around for anyone who might hear. "Hungry. What happens if you get hungry?" Her head was starting to hurt from all the craziness tonight.

Letting out a loud laugh that made Bella's frown turn into a small smile, Edward seemed fairly amused by the small girl.

"Bella Swan you are fun to be around - when you're not almost getting yourself killed." He said with a wink.

Bella didn't know how to take that, so she just looked down at the arrowhead Seth Clearwater let her borrow. The arrowhead that was made of pure silver. The arrowhead that more than likely saved her life- as it had given Edward time to take the wolf by surprise. She didn't want to think about what would have happened had she not had it to use against the animal. It was covered in dried blood now. She reminded herself to wash it before giving it back to Seth.

"I just fed yesterday, I should be good for another day. Don't worry so much Bella, my thirst is under control. And if I get hungry, I can always grab a burger from somewhere." He said like it was a normal everyday conversation they were having.

"You mean you eat people food?" Her tone taking on a high-pitch.

"I'm not a pet dog, Bella. I don't have to eat food, I just do to keep some part of my human life. Blood on the other hand, I can't go more than a few days without it."

The look Bella gave Edward made him feel like he was a villan in this. He didn't want to think about the horrors that would have befallen Bella had he not been there. He didn't want to think about how her fate was almost the same one that his family suffered.

"Bella, don't look at me like that. I am only as strong as nature made me. My family and I can live on animal blood for a few days if forced to, but we must have real human blood or we slowly become crystalized from the inside out. We become 'living statues' frozen in time so to speak. It's a real bitch from what I hear. Remember when you were little and played out in the snow so long that your whole body ached from the cold? Well imagine that times a thousand."

"So you kill people? How are you any better than the wolf?" Bella regretted the words as soon as they were spoken. The shock on Edward's face seemed to last for a mintue and then it turned into cold anger.

"I am better than that which I hunt because I do not take human life! My family and I use blood banks. Blood banks that we pay humans very fucking well to keep us in supply, and to keep their mouths shut! Life isn't one way or another, black or white, right or wrong. There is a middle ground that sometimes life forces you to walk. Who I am, _what_ I am is a walking contradiction! I'm dead, yet here I am before you. I take breath that I don't need. I have a heart but it no longer beats. Make no mistake, Bella- I am a monster. But I am a monster because of what was done to me, not because of what I do. I choose not to kill."

Silence settled between them both. Nothing but the soft sound of raindrops on the ground and roof above them. Every so offten the wind would blow making the little angel chime dance around. Bella looked at Edward as his eyes focused on the angel. A look of loneliness covering him.

"I'm sorry, ok? I didn't mean to insult you. I'm just having a hard time dealing with the fact a giant dog tried to eat me tonight and now here I sit, willingly, with a.. with a um," Bella's throat felt very dry at that moment " a vampire. And now you tell me you want to use me as bait to lure the hell beast out. What the hell am I to think? My boring world just shifted, knocking me into an episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer!" In that moment Bella Swan felt small. She felt like the badass everyone else knew was just a cover. She felt weak, slow and so boringly human. She didn't understand any of what was going on. And she hated feeling helpless.

"I get it. When I first woke up and realized I was like something out of Bram Stoker, I freaked the fuck out. I tried to eat my way through the east coast, but the longer you go, it all starts to make some kind of sense. Humans haven't been at the top of the food chain for a long time. Nature has to keep evolving and growing. Bella, you have my word I won't allow any harm to come to you. I can and _will_ keep you safe. If you really don't want any part of this plan, I will understand. I'm not going to force you to pretend to be a nice juicy squeaky toy for the mutt."

Bella rolled her eyes at his odd, crass humor. Everything about this was odd. But as Bella thought about it, she saw it for what it was: a challenge. What better way to get a rush and push herself to her limits. Also she will be helping Edward. Edward who she owed for saving her life.

"Alright. I'm in, but if I get eaten, I'm coming back from the grave to haunt your ass, Nosferatu!" This caused Edward to laugh. A real laugh that shook him to his core. A laugh that made your lungs burn, your eyes water and your sides hurt .. If he had been alive, anyway.

"God Bella, you'll be the death of me." That earned a raised eyebrow from the pretty brunette.

"Ok, real death. Final encore, fat lady singing in my ear, kind of death. No coming back a second time, you know?" They both laughed at their odd banter.

"I have a few questions of my own to ask." He said while pulling out a cell phone, reading the screen. The light from the phone lit up his face and caused Bella's eyes to widen. His skin was as smooth and pale as milk. His eyelashes were thick, his nose was straight. He was just ruggedly handsome.

"Is something wrong?" She asked while gesturing to the phone. "What do you want to ask me? I'm kind of boring compaired to you." Bella didn't want to talk about herself. Not after finding out Edward's past.

"No, nothing is wrong. I was just checking to see if Alice had left a message- she worries," He said with a small smirk on his lips. "What were you doing in my family's home? Why would a young girl hang out in an abandon, falling down home in the middle of nowhere during a storm?" His questions caused Bella to squirm. She felt like a small child getting caught sneeking cookies before dinner.

"It's a long story."

"I've got the time." He crossed his legs at the ankles, proving he wasn't going anywhere. Bella was stuck. After everything he had told her tonight, reliving the pain and horror from his past, how could Bella not share some of her life with him.

"Have you ever been dared to do something?"... As Bella told Edward about Jacob Black, about the La Push crew, about Paul and his dare, Edward listened, never interrupting.

Bella somehow felt better telling someone else all the feelings she had been holding inside of her. She missed Jacob. She had felt left behind when he moved, and she hated Paul even more now. If not for his stupid dare she wouldn't have almost been killed, thus throwing her into the middle of a war between a vampire and a werewolf. But then again, if not for that would she have ever met Edward? Would she have even wanted to meet him if the situation had not called for it? So many questions and very few answers.

Edward was looking off into the dark sky, thinking. Something didn't add up here. Something in him was telling him there was more to all this. And Edward was going to figure out what it was. He was also contemplating biting this Paul guy's head off. But only if Bella was cool with it. He didn't know why, but he felt very protective of the little human. It was clear Paul wanted to make Bella's life harder and that just wouldn't do. Looking at Bella, the vampire could tell she had a knack for getting herself into trouble. She looked like a little doll: small perfect nose, huge brown eyes surrounded by thick lashes, her lips were full and the perfect shade of pink. Her hair was thick and long, dark brown in color with carmel highlights in it, reaching to the middle of her back. She had tiny perfect white teeth, and small hands with beautiful nails. She looked like a good strong wind could pick her up, never to be heard from again. Yes, she needed to be protected. Not because she wasn't able herself, but because Edward couldn't stand the thought of something happening to her. Those emotions made his normally controlled demeanor feel chaotic.

Bella, who had been quietly watching Edward as he was lost in thought, really looked at this beautiful man. He was a vampire. A real vampire. Not like the ones found in the books that were right now sitting in Bella's bookself at home. She suddenly wanted to know everything about him.

"Can I ask you something?" Her voice soft. Edward cocked an eyebrow, wondering what was on the small girl's mind.

"What's it like? Being.. dead?" She bit the inside of her cheek again, a bad habit she had yet to break.

So far Bella Swan had surprised Edward Cullen with everything she had said and done. And this was no exception. He found that to be completely refreshing. Most humans were predictable. Not Bella Swan. So far she had been a wild card.

"I prefer 'undead American' if you don't mind." He said with a smirk.

"Aren't you afraid I'll tell?" This was the question that had her worried. If he, or more of his kind felt she was a real threat to them, would they get rid of her? She had no doubt they could make it happen if they so wished.

"No"

"Why not?"

"Sure little human, you run and go tell the good people of Forks that a werewolf tried to eat you and that a vampire saved you! Go ahead. I'll wait here. Just remember to tell them the size and color you want the straight jacket in. The thing is Bella, humans don't want to know about the world of the supernatural. They don't want to think that there might be something else out there beyond their own yards. It's part fear of the unknown and part egotism at its worst. The thinking that nothing out there could be more intelligent, more powerful or more capable than the human race," He shook his head with a frown on his face. "That thinking will be the downfall of them all. Because there are more werewolves out there, there are more vampires out there. Ones that don't live by a code of ethics like my family does. And there is a war coming. A war were humans are the pawns, the food. They are in the middle of it even if they don't realize it. There are those of my kind, called the Volturi, that have kept the war at bay, but at some point it's going to spill into every living room around the world."

That sent a chill through Bella. She didn't want to think about more wolves, or vampires that weren't like Edward. "I guess they would think I was crazy. People in town already think I'm nothing but a wild trouble-maker. Jake used to say they should put my face on the town's welcome sign because I was the main attraction." Thinking about Jake still hurt but nowhere near as badly as it used to.

"Were you in love with him?" The question caught Bella of guard. She had been asked that before by her dad, by Jessica Stanley the school skank, and it even got to the point where everyone in La Push asked Jake the same thing. Bella and Jake had a good laugh about it.

"No. I was never in love with him. I love Jake, but as a friend. I care very much about him. But for us it was a brother and sister love. People saw us together and just assumed right away it was romantic. I guess guys and girls can't be best friends without sex being involved?" She snapped at him.

"Don't snap at me TinkerBella. I just wanted to know if you were single. You know, just incase I wanted to take you back to my coffin- introduce you to my vampire family! After they've eaten, of course." His smile was an amazing thing but right at that moment all Bella wanted to do was hit him.

She started to think about the wolf again, she just wanted to know so much but it felt like her brain was trying to shut down. She was getting sleepy and just wanted her nice warm bed.

"Why do the wolves hate vampires so much? Is it like in movies and books? I read a book where the wolves were nice for the most part, and the vampires were just misunderstood. Also the lead vampire was this hot superhero type that saved the day. Hey, do you happen to sparkle in the sunlight?"

Edward stared at Bella until she felt like an idiot. He blinked one, two, three times before opening his mouth only to close it again. He did a double take at her, then finally spoke.

"Do I what? Did.. did you just ask me if.. if I sparkle in the sun?" Edward hadn't been shocked or caught off his gaurd in many, many years, but leave it to Bella Swan to be the one to do it. Bella wanted to crawl under a rock and stay there. She just nodded, avoiding looking into his eyes.

"That's what I thought you asked. Do I look like I have Tiffany's & Co. stamped across my forehead? No Bella. I don't, never have, never would want to sparkle in any kind of light. What the hell kind of question was that?"

"It was in my book! I didn't write it, don't get all high and mighty with me." She crossed her arms over her chest and proceeded to think about burning those damn books when she got home.

"Ok, so these books, I'm guessing here, are one step up from pop up books? Let's have a vampire 101 class. Shall we? You can be teacher's pet!" Bella thought it really wasn't fair how he could insult her, her choice in reading material, and then make her feel all warm inside with a few words and a smile.

"Vampires: A history of, by Edward Masen Cullen. To become a vampire one must be bitten. The vampire that is doing the biting must then let you bite them. Once blood has been shared, you then move on to the wonderful process of dying. Now since I was broken from my wolf attack, mine wasn't as bad- I was already on deaths door. But it hurts like a bitch nonetheless. You feel your body die. You feel like your skull is being cut open with a knife made of fire. Worse than the fires from Mount Doom. Your body shakes from chills, yet you sweat with a fever that is scorching you from the inside out. You have some bloody awful hallucinations, like worse than any acid trips you have ever been on. That lasts for about a day and then your heart feels like its going to explode- beating so hard in your chest it hurts. And then it stops. Everything stops hurting. But then comes the new feelings: anger, sadness, passion, happiness and hunger. Hunger like you have never known. Your tongue is like sand in your mouth, the back of your throat burns and itches. All you can think about is sating it. Finding anything wet to take away the pain. Water doesn't help, food might as well be air in your mouth. Only blood cooled the burn and eased the ache. It took me a long time to control myself. Thankfully my family was there willing to teach me. And vampires don't sparkle, shine or do jazz hands in the sun. We avoid the sun because it dries us out and then we are ash in the wind.

As for the wolves and why they hate us, we are their natural born enemies. Think about - in the world of the supernatural, Vampires leap and dance through time like we control it. We have forever if we want. We have the strength, the brains, the powers and by most everyone's opinion, we're sexy." he said wiggling his eyebrows "And then you have the werewolves: furry, smelly and not too bright. Not to even mention the flea problems and licking their own asses. Face it little human, they are the bitches of the underworld. Not even Hollywood can make a decent Werewolf movie. Know why? Because there isn't much to work with!"

Bella never really thought about the pain that came from becoming a vampire. Most of the time the books and movies downplayed it by using the romance in it all to overshadow the grit of it. But the truth of the matter was dying to become a vampire wasn't romantic, nor something like out of a Disney movie. And the proof was sitting there talking to Bella about it all. She couldn't figure out if she was lucky to be given this inside peek into the world of the undead. Bella guessed it depended on what she did with the information she learned.

"So, you think you're sexy? You were turned in the '80's right? Do you like hair-bands, like Whitesnake, Guns N' Roses, Poison? Oh! Did you like Prince or Madonna?" Bella was cracking up thinking about a vampire listening to Madonna while lurking in dark corners.

"Watch it little human, The 80's were good: The Police, Depeche Mode, Guns 'N Roses. The 90's grunge, Red hot chili peppers, Nirvana, Oasis- very good bands. Fed my sad immortal soul, you know? And then boy bands hit hard in the late 90's. 'N sync, Backstreet boys. 'Boys' was a fitting word. I was tempted to fucking stake myself! And Prince is a good musician. The high notes alone- you'd have to step damn hard on my dick to get me to sing that high. Madonna was and is an over-rated bitch with fake cones."

Bella was laughing so hard she couldn't catch her breath. It felt good after a night like she had.

"All right little Bella Swan, let's get you home. That's enough vampire talk for one night. Do you want to call a ride or do you want me to take you?" Edward couldn't help but love Bella's laugh. So light and sweet. She should always be this happy.

"Oh, well I was to call Seth to pick me back up later on. How am I going to explain all this to him, to anyone? I can't just tell them can I?"

"No it would be best to keep this as quiet as possible. Do you trust this Seth? If you do, and swear him to not say anything, then I'd be ok with you telling him about the wolf- only about the wolf. He can't know about me. But Bella, you have to be careful who you trust. Your own neighbor could be a werewolf and you would never know it until it's too late. Pretty much the same goes for vampires. There are signs if you know what to look for, and I will teach you. But for now, under the radar is best. Ok?"

Bella nods her head, suddenly feeling like a weight is on her shoulders.

Edward offers her his hand. But it seems more than just his hand he is offering. If this plan is to work, they are going to have to trust one another. Can she do that- put her life in the hands of an undead hottie? Her warm little hand fits perfectly in his large cold hand. 'A perfect fit' They both think at the same time.. they just don't know it.

* * *

Bella wakes up with a rare sight: sunshine filtering into her small cozy room. Makes her quilt feel even warmer. As she stays there in bed, she thinks about last night. About the wolf, the talk with Edward on the porch, The Masen family, and how she got home to her warm bed safe and sound. Edward had ran from Seattle where he was staying. Another piece of the puzzle locks in place- vampires apparently can run very fast and very far. They have a crazy amount of stamina. When Edward had told Bella to climb onto his back, she didn't know to laugh or curse.

"You're serious? You can't run all the way to my house in the middle of the night while I hang on to you!"

"_I_ can, and _you_ will. Bella, I'm very strong. It's another gift of my undeadness. Now climb on." As Bella slowly did, she felt the muscle under his shirt. Dear Lord this man was like a brick wall. A very good looking, amazing smelling brick wall. She felt the muscle in his arms move as he grabs on to her thighs, causing Bella a small moan of pleasure. Shit! How was she going to stay like this and not lean into his neck to sniff or lick him? And where the hell had all these naughty thoughts come from?

"You ok back there? I didn't grab you too hard did I? I have to remember to be gentle with you my little human." Bella almost moaned again. Must be all the stress of the night making her this way.

"No no. Your hold is just right!" Bella rolled her eyes at her stupid squeeking voice. 'Your hold is just right?' She mouthed to herself. She was an idiot! It had gotten worse from there as he brought her home to her back door. They had ran through the woods, never trusting the roads. Bella couldn't stop the rush of excitment from bubbling up as they ran faster than the wind through the woods. Edward was like a fucking superhero. Jumping over fifty foot rivers, moving fallen trees out of his path with just a kick. The whole while Bella watched as he ran so fast the rain hardly touched them. And when he brought her to her back door, he checked to make sure she was safe before leaning down to kiss Bella's cheek and telling her he would be in touch soon.

"Soon." Bella said as she shifted to face the window. She felt herself smile as she thought about that kiss on the cheek. That innocent kiss that Edward the vampire had given her. Edward the handsome, funny, hot vampire. Bella Swan had a crush on a vampire!

"Oh, fuck. I want him to bite me!" And with that thought Bella giggled like a school girl in a very unBellalike way.

Charlie Swan who had just gotten home, heard Bella's giggles while filling up his coffee cup. Looking up at the ceiling, mumbled something about girls and crazy moods before sitting down to read the morning paper. The headline making his gut twist with anger: **'Two Bodies found torn apart near Port Angeles. Police warn of wild animal loose.'** As he reads about the victims, The chief's mind goes back to the last time an animal attack like this had happened. He was thankful Bella was safe and sound upstairs. One thing Chief Swan knew, if there was trouble within one hundred miles of Forks, Bella would find it.

* * *

**A/N Join me next time to see what happens between little human and hot undead American. Things are going to be heating up ;)**

**By the way, I have made a blog specifically to show my ideal cast of Twilight. Thanks for reading beautiful people! **


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own Twilight. I do own this plot- so no stealing, borrowing or taking without asking.**

**I have to send a huge Thank you to Ayden Morgen (one of the best Authors on here!) for helping me when FFN was down. If not for her, I'd still be lost somewhere in posting hell.**

**Song for chapter five "Wings of steel" by_ Collide _**

**-The Dare-**

**Chapter Five**

* * *

Bella got up thinking about Edward. She made her bed while thinking about Edward. She brushed her teeth, got dressed in a pair of boyfriend jeans, NY vintage tee, still thinking about the vampire. She put on her make-up listening to 80's pop. Even an email from Jake didn't seem as important to her right now. She had once hung on every word Jake typed out about the waves, sun and parties. Now she thought it a little self-indulgent on Jake's part. After the night she'd had, after having her eyes opened to another world spinning right there within her own world, she couldn't think about everyday things. To Bella it felt like her life had been make-believe. That the real world was the world that held the monsters, magic, and the misunderstood heros. It felt like she had been living in a dream. Now her biggest smiles didn't come from thinking Jake's name, but thinking Edward's. Bella didn't know what was in her head. Never before had she been the type of girl to crush on someone like this. Last crush she had was on Brad Pitt after seeing him in Troy, and that only lasted so long. She was also thinking about the wolf and wondering what Edward's plan consisted of? She knew he was planning on using her as the bait to lure the wolf out, but after he had the wolf what would Edward do with it? She didn't want to watch him if was going to do what he had said: "Rip its heart out" Something told Bella when Edward said he was going to do something, he did it, and nothing got in his way. She knew the wolf had tried to kill her but she still couldn't help but remember there was a person under all the fur and fangs. The yellow eyes of the beast reminded her of something - she just couldn't place it. Sure she thought the wolf needed to be stopped but it was still a person, just as Edward was a person. Edward seemed like a good man even though he was what most would run from in fear. Was there something wrong with her mind? Bella didn't fear what Edward was. She felt her heart and her mind open up and accept him fully and that confused her.

As Bella walked into the kitchen, she found her dad staring out the window above the sink. Charlie seemed a million miles away, but really he was much closer..

Putting her hand on his arm she spoke softly "Dad? Everything ok? You seem to be lost in your head." She wanted to hug him. She wanted to throw her arms around her daddy and tell about all the bad things that were out there. She wanted to tell him she loved him and that they should leave Forks because it wasn't safe for them, but that wasn't like Charlie to be hugged, and it wasn't like father or daughter to run away. Also Bella didn't think Charlie would be all that supportive of his only daughter hanging out with a vampire while he sets a trap to catch a werewolf using Bella as the incentive. No it wasn't a good idea to tell him about her findings. The less Charlie knew, the better.

Turning around to look down at his beautiful daughter, Charlie Swan had just been remembering the day he built the swing set that still sits in his back yard. He had built it himself the summer Bella turned seven. Renee was just starting to show signs that the illness was taking its toll, and he thought the swing set would make Bella smile, and help Renee out as she was no longer strong enough to take Bella to the park. He thought back to the nights sitting out on the patio with Renee by his side- his arms holding his wife as they watched Bella play. He missed Renee so very much. People always said it got better with time - that the pain of losing your loved one would ease. Charlie Swan was quick to tell anyone that was complete bullshit! All time did was force you to move your feet. It didn't lessen your pain nor did time fill the hole in your heart. Time just gave you the finger- like saying 'look at all this you can't share with the one you loved.'

"Yeah, sweetheart I'm ok. Just thinking about you on that swing out there," He said while turning back to the window. "You're growing up too fast Bells. Way too fast. Your old man isn't ready to see you go off to college and move away." That was the closest to sharing his feelings that Charlie had ever gotten. The only other time Bella had ever seen her father show emotion was the night they laid Bella's mother to rest. Charlie was sitting in the dark in their small living room- in his favorite chair, crying with his head in his hands. Bella watched from the top of the stairs as her father's strong shoulders shook with silent sobs. That was the day her daddy became a real person to her. That day he showed he wasn't a superhero, but a broken man at his limit. That day Bella chose to take care of her dad, like her mom would have wanted.

/-/

Bella was very thankful for the teachers' day, as she couldn't imagine being able to sit through classes after the night she had. As Charlie went to take a nap after having worked all night, Bella went out back to call Seth. That was all she needed was her dad to overhear the conversation. As she dialed Seth's cell she tried to come up with what to tell him about her night in the old Masen house. She didn't have time to think long because Seth answered on second ring.

"Bella! Where the fuck are you? Do you know how freaked out I was? I come to the house early to get you and you're not there! Bella, you weren't there and the fucking front door is missing! Like, it's fucking gone! I was about to call in the National Guard, Jesus and your dad! Are you ok?" Poor Seth sounded out of breath and tired.

"Yeah, I'm ok. I didn't mean to worry you." Bella was picking at a hole in her jeans, trying her best not to spill everything to Seth.

"What happened? Where are you?"

"I'm home. I came home a few hours ago." She heard him slowing down his breathing. It sounded like he was getting into his truck.

"How did you get home? Bells please tell me you didn't fucking walk home!" Even though Seth was the same age as Bella sometimes it felt like he was the older brother watching out for his baby sister.

"No, I didn't walk home. I got a lift from someone." Bella felt a half-truth was better than no truth at all.

"There's something you're not telling me. Did something happen? Look, if you got spooked, that's nothing to be ashamed of. I mean, I wouldn't have been able to hang out in that creepy old house all night. But let's keep that between us." He said with a nervous laugh.

"Seth, something did happen. Something you are never going to believe."

"Ok. What, did you see a ghost?" He laughed. But when Bella remained silent Seth didn't know what to think.

"Bells? How about I come over and we can talk?" Bella was at a loss for words at the moment. Maybe having him come over would give her time to think of what to say. She also needed to give the arrowhead back..

"Ok sounds good." As Bella hung up the phone, she hoped Seth wouldn't think she was insane. Maybe she was- after all she was missing a vampire!

"Can I get you a drink?" Bella walked through the kitchen with Seth Clearwater following. Seth had only been in the Swan's house one other time- three years ago on Halloween. Jake, Bella and Seth had dressed up as Batman, Bat girl and Robin. Seth hadn't changed much since then- just his height. He now had to duck just as Jake used to when walking through the Swan home. Charlie always wondered what they put in the water down in La Push because all the boys seemed to never stop growing. The Quileute boys were very handsome and very tall.

As Seth followed Bella out back to the set of chairs on the patio, he popped the top on his soda, taking a sip as he studied Bella's face. She seemed nervous about something. That made Seth on edge as well. If Bella Swan was taking something seriously, you could bet it was the real deal.

"Bells, what's going on? What happened last night?" Seth asks Bella who is sitting across from him with her knees drawn up to her chest. She seems so small and quiet in this moment- a rare glimps at the real Bella Swan. Normally she is the tough girl who always seems so fearless. Not right now. Right now Bella looked lost.

"Do you believe the stories Billy used to tell us around the fire every weekend? About how your people were descended from wolves?"

"Of course I do. I've heard those stories all my life. I used to go to sleep each night looking out at the woods, imagining what it would have been like to change into a wolf and run free. I also thought maybe my spirit warrior was Kwoli and how he and I would become one to defend our people. Little kids dreaming big." He said with a shrug.

"Kwoli?" Bella was frowning. She couldn't remember what that was.

"Kwoli means wolf." Seth smiled.

"Seth, what if it wasn't just stories? I mean, not necessarily the exact story The Quileutes know- but about a man becoming a wolf, just not using his powers to defend, but to hurt. Would you believe that? Would you believe it were possible?"

Sighing, Seth looks at Bella for a few mintues. "What are we talking about here? Like a werewolf?" Bella just nods her head, waiting for him to laugh.

"Bella what the hell happened out there? Did Charlie catch you or something?" When Bella still hadn't said anything, Seth kept talking.

"Bella, if you got really scared out there and that's why you couldn't go through with the dare, you can tell me. I would never make fun of you for it. I'm not like Paul. Hell I would probably have been freaked too. So you can tell-" His rambling was interupted by Bella.

"I saw it, Seth. A wolf.. Werewolf. I saw one. It came after me, tried to hurt me. That's why the front door was gone. Because the wolf busted out of it while coming for me. I know it's not like the legends Billy told us about, but it was real. And the arrowhead- Seth it saved my life!" Bella pulled out the pendant, handing it back to Seth. Seth who then took the arrowhead seeing the dried blood, looked up to Bella with wide eyes.

"You're fucking serious aren't you?" Seth sat there on the Swan's patio looking down at the pendant like it held the answers to the universe. Shaking his head he looked back to Bella. "Fuck me sideways. How did you get away? Bella, are you really ok?"

"Yeah. I was just shocked, you know. I go there expecting to spend the night in some creepy house and not even half way through I end up meeting something from the Underworld movies. Seth, the arrowhead worked. Turns out werewolves are real and not only that, they really aren't too fond of silver. Your grandfather was right about it bringing luck. If you hadn't given it to me.." Both Bella and Seth had a moment were they just looked at one another. Both thinking about what Bella said. Seth trusted Bella fully. She had never given him a reason not to. So if Bella said a werewolf came after her- then that's what happened.

"How did you get home?"

"Uh, a friend gave me a lift."

"A friend just happened to be around? Bella you didn't have a phone to call anyone! You're saying a 'friend' just happened to stop by when you got attacked by a werewolf?" Bella was about to tell Seth more when she remembered Edward telling her Seth couldn't know about him. And to be honest, Bella didn't want anyone to know about the vampire. It was something she wanted to keep for herself.. for now.

"Seth, I know how it sounds, but I just can't talk about it. Suffice it to say the friend helped me last night. Can you please just trust me?" With her eyes pleding with him, Seth nodded his head and promised to wait for the whole story when she was ready to tell it.

"Thank you Seth." Bella got up and went to hug him- making the boy's ears turn red from shyness.

"Can we keep it between us? The fewer people that know the better. As it is Paul isn't going to let me off the hook for 'failing' to complete the dare- even if he did know it was because of a monster." Bella didn't know what she would tell Paul and the other boys. She guessed she would have to call it and let them think she was too scared to go through the whole night. That just made Bella hate all this even more. She had never backed down before!

"Sure sure Bells. I won't say anything to Paul when he gets back."

"Back?" Bella asked.

"Yeah. Paul went camping last night over on A-ka-Lat." Bella knew he meant James Island as it was originally called A-ka-Lat by the locals in La Push. Meaning 'Top of the Rock'

"You mean that fucker went camping while I was sitting in a hell hole before almost being killed!" Bella screamed. Jumping up she started pacing the patio. At that moment she wished Paul had been there so she could kick him in the balls. How dare he go camping while she was stuck out there in the sticks fighting for her life!

"He was taking that new girl, Claire up there- talking all this shit about gettting laid." Seth made a face of pure hate. Bella stopped her pacing to look at Seth with pity. She knew Seth had talked about asking Claire out when the pretty girl first moved to Forks a few weeks back. They had met her down at First beach while having one of their bon fires. Claire was a very pretty girl with bright red hair and brilliant green eyes. Her family was from New York and Seth had been crushing on her since he first saw her. Leave it to Paul to assert himself the Alpha male by hitting on the one girl Seth Clearwater had showed interest in.

"What a little prick." Bella growled, her loyalty to Seth showing through.

"Total prick. I can't figure out why Claire would be into him. Sure he has the looks and muscle, a nice ride and a ton of friends.." Rolling his eyes at himself, Seth frowned. "Yeah, nothing to like I guess. Here I am, Seth Clearwater: skinny, shy dork with a unhealthy obsession with all things sci-fi." He shoulders slumped.

"Seth you are twice the man Paul is! You're sweet, funny and you have killer dimples. Any girl who would pass up on you for Krowe is a damn fool! Maybe Claire is with Paul because you never made it known you were into her."

"You think? I don't know Bells. Paul has a way with girls- a way I just don't. First and last thing I said to Claire was 'your hair is the same color as the fire' when what I was trying to say was that I thought her hair was beautiful." Poor Seth sat shaking his head with a frown.

"You just have to relax around her. Show her the real you and I know she will just love you. If I know Paul, he will show his ass sooner rather than later and Claire will see it's a waste of time being around him."

"Thanks Bella. I'm really glad you didn't get eaten by a werewolf," Seth looked Bella up and down with a serious look upon his face. Smiling he then added, "but by the looks of you, you'd be just a small snack." Bella jumped on the boy, putting Seth in a choke hold. That was until Seth stood up and Bella was defeated once again by being vertically challenged.

After Seth went home, Bella went up to her room. She lay on her bed doing what she had been doing far too much of: thinking. It seemed like everyone's lives were in some kind of transitional, holding stage. Bella just wanted to help her family and her friends. And maybe if there was a little time left over, find out what is was like to kiss a vampire. What would it be like to have him kiss her, touch her and tell her he wanted her? Breaking Bella out of her little fantasy was a knock on her bedroom door. After waiting for the ok, Charlie never fully comfortable in a teenage girl's bedroom, remained out in the hall- just sticking his head in the room.

"Hey Bells, what do you say to taking the night off from cooking and let your old man take you out to eat?"

When Charlie Swan says 'I'm taking you out to eat' it means you're going to Forks diner. Bella and Charlie had been coming to that same diner since Renee past away. Doris, the owner had a special place in her heart for the Chief and his lovely daughter. Doris also had a sweet spot for the Chief but would never be the kind of woman to make the first move. Bella of course knew all about the crush the woman seemed to have on her dad. It was kind of gross, but also kind of sweet how Doris would make home made peach pies just because it was Charlie's favorite. She was a character too- never a dull moment when Doris Phillips was around.

As they walked into the diner, Doris was filling up the salt shakers. Her soft brown eyes were rich and full of life, deep in wisdom ,and with her beautiful dark skin- it made her seem younger than she was. She was truly a beautiful person inside and out.

"Oh, will you look who it is!" She yelled coming out from behind the front counter. "Bella, child I haven't seen you here in ages. I was begining to wonder if you ran away or somethin'. Your daddy was just in here the other day and couldn't tell me a thing about the going ons of his beautiful daughter. Well, he did mention something about getting metal in your pretty face," She looks up at Bella's piercing, frowning. But she moves on. "I told him to bring you to me so I could have a look-see at you. Make sure he's taking care of you. All he ever says is 'she's quiet' and I told him that's a good sign. Like my mama always said; An empty barrel always makes the most noise!" Doris pulled Bella into a warm, soft hug. Her smooth, soulful voice had always been calming to Bella. "Child you're too thin. Charile! Don't you make sure this girl eats? Men." She sighed, "I tell you what, you go sit down and let Doris fix you something that'll stick to those ribs- yeah?" With a wink at Bella, she was off to cook up a feast. More than likely something that wasn't even on the menu that day.

As Bella and Charlie took a seat in the booth near the front door, a wind blowing in had Bella's eyes land on Billy Black. He walked slowly up to the counter next to their booth. The waitress, Sarah greeted the older man.

"Hey there Mr. Black, your order is almost up. Let me go box it up for you- I'll only be a minute." As she went behind the double doors, Billy turned around and noticed Charlie and Bella sitting. He walked over to them with an odd look upon his face. As he got near, Bella looked down to see Billy's left hand wrapped in some thick gauze. An image of Bella piercing the wolf's paw as it had her pinnned down last night flashed before Bella's eyes.

"Charlie, Bella, good to see you both." As Charlie and Billy spoke about everyday things, Bella's eyes stayed trained on Billy's hand.. until Charlie broke Bella out of her thoughts. "Bells? Billy asked you a question." That snapped her attention back to a confused looking Charlie and an amused looking Billy.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I asked if you had heard from Jake? He said he was going to be sharing the news with you that he got into UCLA." That certainly took Bella's mind off Billy's hand for a moment.

"I did in fact get a email but it said nothing about him getting in." Bella felt hurt that Jake hadn't shared that information with her.

"Well I'm real proud of him. He and Vanessa plan to look for off-campus housing." Billy seemed over the moon.. and a little like he was rubbing it in Bella's face. Charlie who had been watching his daughter's face, decided to jump in.

"Sounds like Jake is doing good out there in la-la-land. Does he know what he wants to study? I know-" He was caught off by Bella who couldn't keep from asking.

"Billy, how did you hurt your hand?"

Looking down he said, "Oh that's nothing. I was trying to fix the damn carburetor on that old truck. My hand slipped and next thing you know I needed some stiches. Stupid really." He gave Bella a hard stare. Bella just nodded, not really knowing what else to say. She didn't have any more time to question him as Sarah came back out with his food.

"Here you go Mr. Black." Billy said goodbye to Charlie and Bella, paid for his food and left. Bella watched from the window of the booth as Billy black's old truck went down the street. Leaving Bella's heart feeling a little heavier.

/-/

When Bella and Charlie got back, after Doris had fed them to the point of having trouble walking out the door of the small diner, Charlie told Bella he has some work to do down at the station. Bella knew her father's job was his life, but he had just worked a double. Normally Charlie would be planted in his favorite chair watching ESPN and yelling at whatever team wasn't pulling through like he thought. Charlie wasn't going to tell Bella that he and a few other boys down at the station had been asked to help in the case of the mauled bodies of Eric Yorkie and his sister Jessica. The Yorkie family was heartbroken over the loss of their children. Charlie couldn't even begin to imagine the pain of losing Bella like that. Not after he lost Renee.

"Bella, I won't be all night. But promise me you'll keep the doors locked and you won't be going out?" Bella wanted to roll her eyes at her father but the look on his face stopped her normally smart-assed remark.

"I'm just going to take a bath and read some, Dad." Nodding, Charlie headed off to try and make some sense in a senseless case..

Just as Bella was easing down into a hot bath with enough bubbles to get lost in, the door bell rang. Cussing, groaning and slipping on the wet floor, Bella put her purple bathrobe on and headed down to the door. Looking out the peephole, she gasped. Looking down she realized there was nothing for it. She blew the bangs out of her eyes, made sure her bathrobe was tied tight, and opened the door.

"Little human." Edward stood there looking like he just stepped out of a GQ photoshoot. The look he sent her had heat shooting down Bella's spine. Leaning in he ran the tip of his nose against her cheek, his arms on either side of the door frame. "Hm. I like this," He said while pulling a little on the belt to her robe. Bella Swan tried not to let her eyes cross. Jesus, did he smell amazing.

"What are you doing here?" She was almost panting.

"I'm here because I want something.. sweet." She felt the corner of his mouth against the side of hers, he smiled as her heart rate picked up. "Let's go get some ice cream!"

Bella did what any girl would do after being caught wearing a fuzzy purple bathrobe with moons and cows on it while the sexiest man ever stood before her: She held her head high and ...squeeked out a yes. Then ran upstairs to dress leaving a laughing Edward at her front door.

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**A/N: Next chapter will be all about Edward and Bella. What will happen? I know, I know! Join me next time to find out ;) Thank you so much for reading! If you feel like it- leave me your thoughts beautiful people. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. This plot belongs to me (LondonGoth)**

**This was late due to FFN screwing up.. again. It's really getting old. Dear FFN, please fix what is broken!**

**Songs for chapter: "Monsters" by _Matchbook Romance_ & "Blue" by _The Birthday Massacre_**

**-The Dare-**  
**Chapter Six**

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Bella stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. She would admit that she was freaking out a bit. What does one wear on an outing with a vampire? She remembered Edward was wearing a pair of dark wash jeans, and a black knit sweater.. not that she was checking him out or anything. Rolling her eyes at her own stupidity, she decided to wear her cream colored AE crocheted hoodie and a simple pair of black leggings that made her ass look amazing. Spinning one more time in the mirror, she was happy with the balance between girly and comfortable. She went out into her room to grab her boots only to run right into Edward.

"Ah!" Her hand went to her chest. Her heart was about to jump out of her body.

"Easy there little human." He was smirking. The jerk! He went to tuck a loose curl behind her ear.

"Don't you have to like be, you know, invited in or something?" She asked not knowing how the vampire world really worked- something else she needed to ask questions about. She was pretty sure they didn't have a handbook. No 'Vampires for dummies' Then again.. they might.

Chuckling under his breath, Edward answered her. "Obviously not. As long as the vampire, that's me," He said pointing to himself as if there would be some confusion on this matter. "doesn't mean any harm to the human, the vamp may enter the dwelling." He slowly put two fingers against her throat feeling the rushing of blood just under the soft skin.

"How curious." He said softly.

Bella was having trouble standing much less trying to speak. "What's curious?"

With him being here, in her house- in the light of her room- she could see him perfectly now. No shadows, no rain. His eyes were such a brilliant, true green that it reminded her of a rain forest: beautiful, but dangerous to get lost in. God must have made that color just for Edward. She was sure the world of men would never be able to replicate such a color. Truly beautiful, dangerous and full of secrets.

Leaning in to whisper against her cheek, making her lose her train of thought, Edward spoke. "It's curious that feeling your blood pumping so hard and fast under my finger tips, just right near the surface of your soft, sweet smelling skin, does nothing to my vampiric side." Man, was this guy for real? He didn't need to use his fangs to kill Bella- she was going to end up a pile of melted girl at his feet.

"So um, that's a good thing, right? I don't make you hungry." She sounded like she had just ran a 5K marathon.

Pulling back to look at her face, his eyes moved between her chocolate brown eyes and her pale pink lips- so tempting to him. "I didn't say that. It's just that I am finding other stirrings within myself. Make no mistake love, I hunger. Just not for your blood.. ." He smiled as he felt that same pulse jump again. "I just don't feel _that_ particular thirst when I'm around you."

Bella closed her eyes. She had to because it was too much. His looks, smell and now those words. Words no one had ever spoken to her before. Words that invoked something no one ever had. Her head was spinning. Bella was sure that was just the way it would remain in Edward's company-always spinning. Edward was very.. intense.

"Listen to your heart fly. It's fluttering like a hummingbird's wings. Are you all right?"

One small nod was all she could manage. She was kind of let down by her actions. She was behaving like some lovesick fool! She needed to pull it together lest she make a real ass of herself.

"I'm good. Uh, are you ready?" She blushed so hard her face hurt.

"Fuck." Edward gave a small, low growl as a blushing Bella passed under his arm.

"What's wrong?" Bella didn't know for sure, having never been around the undead before, but Edward looked sick.. and in some kind of pain. Then she noticed his deep breathing, the dark shade his eyes turned, and how his tongue slipped out to wet his bottom lip. Heaven help!

"It's nothing. Shall we?" It was Bella's turn to smirk as she realized maybe she got to Edward just like he got to her. What Bella missed was Edward having to adjust himself when her back was turned. Jesus, forget the stake to the heart. Bella Swan was going to be the death of Edward the vampire. Van Helsing would have loved this girl!

/

As Bella walked outside to Edward's car she stopped dead in her tracks. She started laughing so hard she couldn't catch her breath. She had never in her whole life laughed this hard. She was thanking God her mascara was waterproof. Edward thought maybe she was insane. Well, he knew that she must be a little out there since she agreed to hang out with a vampire, but the fit she was having had him wondering if he really should be concerned.

"Little human? Are we ok?" Looking into her smiling face.

Bella had to hold her sides. Gasping for air she asked. " Is.. that KITT? Oh my God! It _is_ KITT!" Edward was a very self-confident man but there were two things you _never_ laughed at a man for: the size of his cock and his ride. Currently Bella was wounding one and that made the other not want to meet her at any point in the near future.

"As a matter of fact little miss giggles, this" He went to lay a hand reverently on his car. "is an exact replica of The KITT car. Only my baby here doesn't talk to me. Then again," sending a sharp look at Bella that made her laugh harder. "that might just be a good thing."

The fact was the Cullen family had millions to waste. Carlisle had lived many lives over and had acquired quite a handsome nest egg. The Cullens' had homes all around the world. Connections in most countries. Anything they wanted, it was there for the taking. So Edward had the money to spend on his passions. One of those passions just happened to be Classic hard to find cars.

Bella held back anymore giggles when she saw how much Edward loved his car. He looked as if he were trying to impress her. That she found completely endearing about him. So she walked past Edward and stood next to the passenger door of the car.

"You gonna let me in so I can see what this baby can do? Come on Cullen take me for a ride." She said with a flirty wink. Edward moved so fast the wind from him coming closer made her hair fly around her face.

"Wow. I keep forgetting your.. well, you're .. you." She said with a small smile. He had never felt this way- like who he was, _what_ he was might just be ok after all. With Bella he felt normal. Less monster-like. And she certainly brought out the human side in him.

The ice cream shop in Port Angeles was called 'The Igloo'. It seemed to do a very good business as there were quite a few people inside the shop. So Bella and Edward pulled up to the intercom, deciding to have their ice cream in the privacy of his car.

"I can't believe you really brought me to an ice cream shop." Bella was smiling while looking over the small menu with names like 'I can't get no strawberry satisfaction', 'Tutti (mixed) Frutti', 'Bad to the cone', and they had malts as well - like the 'you shook me all night long- shake' Bella ordered the 'I love rocky road' While Edward, always the smart-ass, got the 'Sunday Bloody Sundae' Bella laughed so hard she snorted.

"What did you think I meant when I said 'let's get ice cream'? That it was code for 'I'm going to suck you dry'? Little human, I'm hurt." He pouted.

"Sorry, but I never thought a vampire would like ice cream." She eyed him like he was crazy.

"When one knows they are going to live forever, one takes pleasure in any and all of life's little treats. Besides I don't suck a girl dry on the first date. That is reserved for when we get to know one another a bit better." He said with one of his wickedly charming grins.

After Edward had placed enough napkins around and under Bella that would have covered most of Forks, they ate while talking about normal everyday things. Music, movies and books like both liked. Bella found it absolutely absurd to have so much in common with a vampire, and she found she very much liked it. But once the ice cream was eaten, their talk turned serious.

"Tell me about you .. about the Cullens." Bella knew Edward had referred to them as his family but she didn't want to assume anything.

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything you want to tell me. Where do they live?"

"We have many homes around the world. We can't stay in one place too long- five years is as long as we stay in one place. Otherwise the humans start noticing we aren't aging. But for right now, Seattle is home. Carlisle is a doctor working at free clinics set up around the Seattle area."

"That must get hard. Always moving around, never sitting down roots where you want."

"Yes and no. Bella, my family and I aren't normal. We can't really build friendships outside of our coven or with humans."

"Why not?" Bella didn't see why they couldn't be normal for the most part if they didn't hurt humans.

"Because there are rules in my world. Rules that say I stay out of your world and never allow someone like _you_ in." She thought on that for a while. He had mentioned something the other night about people in his world that kept order.

"You said something about a guard or army? Are they the ones who make up the rules?"

"They're called the Volturi. And yes, they make the rules and make sure we keep to them."

"Why? What I mean is why are they the ones to call the shots? It's your life!" Bella knew it was silly, but she kind of felt insulted- like these Volturi assholes were judging humans before getting to know them. She didn't want to stake Edward after she found out what he was. She kept an open mind and felt that maybe others like her would do the same.

"Considering the Volturi are the oldest of my kind, it seems like they might have the seniority to boss the race around. Bella, they have rules set in place for a reason. Even someone like me can understand that. Humans and vampires don't mix. Sometimes humans are changed, but for the most part we keep to ourselves. It has always been a prey and predator relationship. I'm sure along the way a vampire might have tried to befriend a human, but it ends ... badly." The frown on Edward's face said it all.

"So by you saving me and telling me about you and your kind, you broke the laws of your world? What will happen if they find out?"

Edward started the car and began to drive back to Forks. Not one word was spoken for about ten minutes until finally Bella couldn't take it anymore.

"Edward, tell me. Please don't ignore my question." She wouldn't stop looking at him. At some damn point he was going to talk to her. "Edward, what happens if they find out about me knowing?"

The car pulled onto a side road and went down a ways until it was hidden from the main highway. Bella would have been nervous if not for the fact she trusted Edward completely. That of course had to make her insane- or so it would seem.

Edward sat there in the car that placed the small human girl too close to him. Her scent was thick in the car. She smelled like fresh cream and strawberries. It was driving him mad with need. Her hair fell in soft waves down her back, it was so dark- like the sea at night. When he saved her from the wolf he felt good about it. He couldn't imagine something bad hurting someone so beautiful. Saving her made him feel.. not so worthless. Maybe it didn't make up for his failing his parents, but it was a start. But now, here, alone with her- he was feeling things he shouldn't be. How could he make her understand his world when he himself was having a hard time understanding it all at the moment? He kept telling himself he wouldn't get too close. He wouldn't get emotionally involved with her. Edward would keep it light and fun. She would help him trap that overgrown lapdog and then he would leave. But looking at her now, he wanted to answer all her questions and calm her fears. And he wanted her. Ah, Hell, how could he not?

"The law states I must either make you a part of my world.." He pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes. Suddenly feeling tired. Which was preposterous as vampires didn't get tired.

"Yes?" she was still looking at him. He could feel her gaze and he liked it. Or he would have if the conversation had a better subject.

"Or I take you from yours by way of death- _real_ death." Silence settled between them. Unspoken fear and more questions wrapped around both the human and the vampire like a spiderweb.

"And if you do neither of those things?" Bella's throat felt so tight.

"Then I must pay for the crime. It is law. The Volturi will not stand for disobedience. No excuses. No second chances."

"Payment? What would it cost you?" She didn't want to hear the words from his lips. The lips she longed to touch.

"My life."

"But you saved me! Who the fuck do they think they are?" Her eyes filled with tears. Anger pumped through her small frame.

Edward could feel her shaking. Anger was rolling off her in waves. He smelled the salt from her unshed tears. No. He couldn't handle her tears. He turned to her as she turned her head- angerly wiping tears from her warm cheeks.

"No, no. Hey, Bella." He pushed her hair behind her shoulder. As she turned to him at last, allowing him to see her weaker side, when brown eyes met green eyes, time stopped for them. The air was heavy in the small car. A current of feelings pulsed around them like another heartbeat.

"Bella." he whispered her name as if it were a pray on his lips. His cold thumbs wiped her tears away and it felt so good on her over-heated cheeks. Her eyes closed- her thick lashes wet against her cheekbones. Edward needed to remember the plan: do not get too close. It would be better for her in the long run if he kept the walls up. Keep it flirty and fun... while keeping her safe.

"Little human, don't worry about me and my world. I know what I'm doing. And I promised you my protection. You will have it. Besides, it's not like you're going to run around Forks telling everyone about the big bad vampire with the amazing ride." Bella nodded her head, but it hurt her still. Sad thing was she wanted to tell people about Edward because he should have friends and be known. He was a really amazing person. It made her angry that he had to be shut off from the living.

They sat there for a little while just thinking.

"Your family knows about me?" She was still mad, not only at the situation, but also how upset all this made her. Bella was feeling so many emotions all at once and she didn't really know what to do with them all. She didn't have an outlet to channel it through. She figured talking might help.

"Yes, my family knows about you and the wolf. Alice and Esme want to meet you. Carlisle was surprised at your reaction to me. As for Rosalie, well she said any girl who could make me bust out _the_ car must be one cool chick." The smile on Edward's face spoke of his love for his family. For a moment Bella was hit by jealousy. What must it be like to have that many people in your life to care about you? Then again, look at what Edward had lost to gain that. He had lost the two people he loved the most.

"What were you like when you first became a vampire?" Bella hoped it wasn't a sore subject.

"I was confused and angry. I already told you about the emotions you feel. But you can't imagine it; everything is hyped up. If you are hungry, which I was, it's on a level so intense you're sure you will die from it. If you're happy, it's like the kind of happiness that makes you feel crazy. And same goes for any other emotion." He smirked at Bella making her cheeks flame red again. She could only assume he was talking about the passion part of the cornucopia of feelings a vampire would experience after changing.

"Did you, um, did you have an.. outlet for _those_ feelings?" She couldn't believe she just asked that question- neither could Edward. Bella didn't really want to know how many woman he had been with, but she just couldn't seem to make her mouth stop from asking.

"Little human are you asking how many woman I have taken to my bed?" He was having fun watching her become so red he was sure smoke would come out of her ears soon.

"No. Yes. Never mind - it's none of my concern what or _who_ you did.. ." Dear God why couldn't the earth open up when you needed it to!

"If you want to know, those kind of feelings were at the bottom of the list. Don't get me wrong, I was ready to sleep with any warm pretty little thing, but I first wanted my questions answered and to feed. I wasn't an easy man to be around those first few years."

"Years! It takes years?"

"It's a process, this undead thing. I wasn't nice to Carlisle or any of them for a long time. They were good about it, but I still feel shame for the things I said."

"Like what? Why were you mad at them- for changing you?"

"For not saving my mother and father. I had it in my head that vampirisim was a cure-all. I just knew they could have saved mom and dad if they wanted to. I was a total idiot. I'm afraid Carlisle bared the brunt of my anger. I hated that he held my mother's hand while she died. That he was the last person she spoke to. Even worse I called him a coward for second-guessing changing me. In my mind- if he hadn't done that- maybe I could have saved my own damn family. Of course I couldn't have. The death of your mortal self takes a while. But I still hated everything and anything that wasn't my mother and father.

"What changed?" Bella watched as Edward rubbed his chin- a frown was upon his handsome face.

"Esme. That's Carlisle's mate. she has been a mother to me much the same way Carl has been like my father. She told me point blank that I was being a selfish dick and she was going to kick my ass if it didn't stop. when you meet Esme you'll understand why that was a shocking thing for her to say. It opened my eyes. Also, time helped. The anger fades, the blood-lust and other emotions calm to the point were you can think clearly again. Some form of your old self comes back."

She noticed he said '_when'_ not if she meets Esme. That made butterflies flutter in Bella's stomach and chest.

"Do you miss them?" She knew he would know she was talking about his mother and father.

"With every useless breath I take." He sighed.

She reached out slowly to lay her hand atop his. The difference in size was almost comical.

"All right little human, enough with the heart to dead-heart." As he drove Bella back to her house, she couldn't help but feel hope and disappointment all mixed together. Shaking her head, she wondered if she would ever get her feelings under control.

"When do we set the trap for the wolf?" She was nervous about her role in that.

"Soon. But it takes a few days for a silver wound to heal. My guess is the wolf is still recovering. I would love to find him now while he is weakest, but he will be hiding for the most part. If silver touches their skin, it burns. But an open cut like say.. from a little human stabbing one- that will hurt like a bitch. Did I mention I was so fucking proud of you? Even Rose seemed impressed when I retold of your heroics." Something about Edward being proud of her gave Bella the strength she needed.

Pulling up to the Swan home, Edward put the car in park and got out to open her door. When he caught the shocked look on her face he rolled his eyes.

"Come on Bella, I'm not a total neanderthal. I've been known to be a gentleman."

When the door was opened, Edward had checked out the house, he said goodnight.

"Here is my cell number in case you need to reach me before I .. um reach you. I can be here in twenty minutes- fifteen if there are no hikers from Seattle to here." This was so weird they both thought. Very date-like to stand on her front porch and mumble like a fool. Ah, to be human again.

"Thanks." Bella said pointing to the cell phone. "And thanks for the ice cream." As Edward leaned down to kiss her cheek, Bella wished he would just kiss her already! A real kiss. What Bella didn't know was Edward was about to lose his mind wanting to taste her lips. He wanted her in his arms.

A whispered goodnight across her cheek and he was gone- much like the first night he brought her home.

Closing the door behind her, Bella promised herself she would get that man to kiss her if she had to jump him.

After changing into her sleep shorts and tank, she went down to get a drink of water. Standing in the kitchen she didn't hear her father come in, but jumped when his angry voice rang out.

"Isabella Marie! What in God's name where you doing in Port Angeles when you told me you were staying in? Bella, I told you to stay home. And who the hell was that boy you were with?"

Spinning around to a red faced Charlie, Bella knew she had done it this time. And now it seemed Bella had some explaining to do.

Well shit.

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**A/N: The Ice cream shop is totally fictitious- unless someone out there has a shop named The Igloo and has all those flavors of ice cream. If they do.. I want to try! Join me next time as Bella gets in trouble- again! Also, if my update is late yet again- blame FFN. Thanks beautiful people for reading and leaving me your thoughts :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Twilight's mother is Stephenie Meyer. But I'm the mom of this plot!**

**Songs for chapter: "Sweet Dreams (are made of this)" By _The Eurythmics_ & "Blister in the Sun" by _Violent Femmes_**

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**-The Dare-**  
**Chapter Seven**

Bella felt like she was in an old Western movie. Standing there with her father in the small kitchen- he was staring at her while she was staring at him. Both just waiting for the other to crack first. She half-expected a tumbleweed to blow through..

"You lied to me. Again. Bells, I thought when Jake left you would see that your self-centered ways only end up hurting you in the long run." Charlie shook his head while thinking about the two bodies he had seen with his own eyes. Bodies that were so badly damaged they didn't even look human. Then thought of Bella in their place, his fear and anger shot up higher than he could control.

Hearing him talk about Jake stirred up Bella's defences. And for some reason the fact he knew about her and Edward's.. outing, upset her.

So both daughter and father were fit to be tied.

"How can I let you go off to college in another state if I can't trust you?" He wasn't really asking, but Bella answered anyway.

"Truthfully Dad, you can't really stop me once I'm 18.." Oh, the look she received from her father shut Bella down fast.

"Watch it young lady. And since it's _my_ checkbook you need for school, I think I have a bigger say than you do! Who was that boy?"

"What, were you having me followed?" Bella was trying to think fast on her feet. Deflect- turn it back on him.

"You are my child. That means I can do what I see fit in terms of protecting you. God knows you won't keep yourself safe. But to answer your question, no I wasn't having you followed. I was in Port Angeles because I'm helping the boys at the station there with an animal attack that killed two local students. And all I could picture, all I could think was what if that were you." Suddenly Charles Swan looked and felt much older than his 39 years. Worry and stress would do that to a man. Especially if that man had a daughter.. and she was Bella.

He walked over to the small yellow and white table in their eat-in kitchen. He snapped open his gun holster, layed the Glock 17 '9mm down on the table facing away from his daughter. Sitting down, his shoulders sagged with the weight of his worry.

"Bells, you're all I got left in this world. You're it. Baby-girl, when I lost your mother.. I lost half of my heart and soul. You know where the other half lies?" He looked up into his daughter's beautiful face. She shook her head no. "The other half is with you, Isabella Marie."

She watched as her father's chin trembled with the emotion he so often buried deep inside his heart. Oh, it hurt her to see pain in his brown eyes- the same eyes that Bella had.

She walked over to her father and got on her knees before him. Her arms were around his neck as she tried so hard not to let tears fall. Her father never got emotional like this. His shoulders shook a bit, but Bella didn't acknowledge it. After everything she had put her father through, she could at least keep his pride intact.

"Oh, daddy. I'm so sorry that I'm such a brat. I promise to do better. I just get so wrapped up in my own world that I sometimes forget to poke my head out once in a while."

Patting her arms that were still tight around his neck, the Chief took a deep breath. " I know having a cop for a dad is hard. I need to remember that." Bella hugged him a little tighter still. "But Bells?" He waited for her reply. When a small 'Hmm' came from her, he added. "Don't think for one second that this little father- daughter bonding let me forget about that boy you were with tonight. Tell me who he is."

Pulling back from the hug, Bella thought about making something up versus telling the truth. Okay, not the whole truth, but she could at least tell her dad bits and pieces- right? Problem was what would she say? He's a friend? Just a friend? The only man she had ever wanted to get naked with? A vampire hunk that saved her from a wolf? Yeah, Bella didn't think she should bring up the words 'naked' or 'vampire' unless she wanted Charlie to get his gun out and play tag with Edward.

Okay, friend it was.

"He's a friend of mine. We went for ice cream. It's not like we got married or something."

"Why didn't you tell me you were going? You're hiding him from me." Charlie's eyes narrowed. "There must be a reason. Has he been in jail? Got a juvie record? You know you might as well tell me now, Bella. I'm going to run his name through the system.."

_Oh lord, this is was embarrassing_ thought Bella. Sometimes having a dad who was a cop really was lame. Total and complete buzz kill.

"Dad! God, why can't you just chill out? No, he hasn't been in jail." That she knew of.. Now that she thought about it, Bella reminded herself to warn Edward of her over-protective-gun-carrying-trigger-happy- father. That should go over well. Edward might be immortal but he wasn't stupid. _I'm sure getting shot would put a damper on his day._

"Is he ugly then? Does he smoke, drink, do drugs? That was one helluva ride he's got. I didn't get the tags off it- it better not be stolen. Who are his parents? Where does he live? How did you meet him? Answers Bella. I need answers." He took on his cop tone. Nothing brought out Bella's inner bitch like her father turning into Barney frickin' Fife.

"Oh my God!" Charlie watched as his daughter's palm met her face. Jesus, teenage daughters were a whole new kind of out there. He missed the good old days when all she wanted was a new barbie doll and a piggy back ride. Now there was boys, dates with boys and ... Charlie remembered he needed to clean his guns. Possibly while_ that_ boy was sitting in front of him.

"I met him.. um," Bella was about to panic. Nothing made a cop take notice like eyes shifting and words jumbling together. Shit! Her dad, while in his cop zone, was like a shark when there was blood in the water. "I met him through Seth!" There. Seth Clearwater was one of Charlie's favorite people. If he thought Seth had introduced them, then he would hopefully back off some.

"How does Seth know him then?" He raised one bushy eyebrow at his wiggling daughter.

"Just around dad. Damn, I feel like I'm in an episode of NYPD Blue!"

"Watch your language." He said as his moustache twitched. It was a known fact that Bella was a lot like Charlie. Especially when Charlie was in his teens. Dear God the things he got into. Things he hoped Bella would never try. Just thinking about some of those things while adding in his daughter in the situation, had his heart beating harder.

"Name, Isabella. I want his name. If he's cool then you have nothing to worry about, true?" His arms were folded over his chest. Yep. Cop zone.

"Edward Cullen. There are you happy?" Her frown would have made a toddler throwing a fit proud.

Patting her head as he walked by Charlie was smiling. "See that wasn't so hard now was it? And Bella, I want to meet him before I let you go out with him. Got me?" All she could do was nod her head. But when his back was turned, Bella blew him the biggest raspberry. Any mature woman would have!

Bella then realized she now had to give Seth a heads up about the whole Edward thing. Another conversation she didn't want to have. Her head suddenly started to hurt.

**/x/**

**What are you doing now?** Edward's text lit up Bella's cell phone screen.

**Getting ready for bed..or trying to if a certain vampire would stop texting me every minute.** Bella had to laugh as she lay upon her bed while replying to his text.

Once she had gotten in her room, taken a shower and then tried to finish up on a reading assignment, she had been bombarded with texts from Edward. She didn't expect him to contact her so soon. She couldn't stop smiling.

**Tell me something about you that no one knows- e** _Damn,_ thought Bella. He didn't waste time did he?

**Like what? -b**

**Something dark and sinful -e** Bella took a deep breath. _Lord, even his texts were hot!_ Were they moving too fast? Probably. Did she care? Unequivocally no. Like everthing else in her life, Bella would jump in with both feet.

**Like a fantasy or something? -b** She was sure her face was beet red.

**Yeah, something like that. I bet your face is red now isn't it? -e**

How did he know? When she hadn't texted him back for a few, he asked again.

**Little human are you embarrassed to tell me your most inner thoughts? Are they dirty? -e**

Bella had a feeling he was laughing at her. So, she decided to have some fun with the undead hottie.

**I'm thinking about that sundae you ate today. - b**

**Now, why would you be thinking about that? Truly I am intrigued. -e**

She tried to gather her inner badass that she used on dares. Bella wanted to leave him stund. She wanted to make him feel like the blushing little fangirl like he left her feeling _all_ the time.

**Because I think about what it would be like to lick the cold ice cream off the muscles I know lie under those nice shirts you wear. I was also thinking about what it would have felt like to have your mouth on mine in that moment. - b**

_Oh shit_, thought Bella- she'd done it now. She put a pillow over her head, thinking about becoming part of the bed. It was a few mintues before a reply came back. She was afraid to look.

**Tasting your mouth, twisting my tongue with yours .. you would have tasted far sweeter than any ice cream. Sweet, warm, and soft. - e**

Bella's eyes crossed. Damn it! She was supposed to get to him _this_ time. And here she was on her bed a pile of melted female. How the hell was Bella to come back with anything after that little goodie? Turned out she didn't have to as her cell started to ring. _Unknown number_. Now, who could that be. Oh sweet Lord, how was she going to talk to him when just texting with him had left her panting?

"Hello?" She cursed the small meak sound her voice took on.

His voice was almost a growl. Bella could tell from across the phone-line that he was panting. "Little human, tell me something," As Bella replyed with a 'What?' He continued on, "After you had licked that sundae off of my body, would you have then allowed me the pleasure of tasting you? Would you let me do that Bella?" Her harsh intake of air had a dark, sinful laugh coming from Edward. His voice was a whisper, sending heat up and down Bella's thighs.

"Talk to me, my beauty."

Bella didn't have words. Her throat felt so dry and her heart was racing. She was terrified. She felt.. alive. He made her feel so fucking alive. And ultimately that was what gave her the courage to answer truthfully.

"Yes. God, yes I would."

"Do you think about me? In the quiet moments, when you're alone? Because since I found you, you have conquered my thoughts."

"I do and that excites me and scares me." Bella couldn't believe how easy it was to just .. be with him. God, she was losing it.

"You will never have to fear me, Bella. Never." And while she knew she was physically safe with Edward, it was Bella's heart that was on the line. Her heart could take a beating here.

" I hope you're right." She whispers.

Taking a few deep intakes of breath, he asked. "You have classes tomorrow?"

Sighing. Bella said 'yes'. Though she wished she didn't have to go to school. Bella had never liked the people in Forks High. They had always been too nosey with eyes in the back of their heads. Even the teachers seemed to do nothing but gossip. Plus, Bella already felt so young next to the vampire. If anything was to make her look like a child in his eyes, high school was just the thing. After telling her he would call her later, Bella and Edward said goodnight a second time.

There was still one thing that was on Bella's mind. One thing she needed to know; the attack on the students in Port Angeles. Her father seemed so worried over her safety and that lead Bella to believe the attack was truly awful. She knew her father wouldn't share the information with her. Charlie Swan had a rule that once he walked through his front door, any and all work got left back in the cruiser parked in his driveway. Bella's only option was the interwebs.

As she typed in the name of the town, news about the two people popped up. Bella felt her eyes water as she read about Eric and Jessica- both Bella's age. The words flashed across the screen as she read. It sounded like after the 'animal' was done with them, they were truly shredded and ripped apart. If not for the driver's licenses on both bodies, the police wouldn't have been able to get a solid ID on either victims. Bella knew she needed to talk to Edward about this tomorrow. Was it the wolf? God, what if those people were dead because the wolf couldn't get to Bella? She almost felt like it was her fault. Suddenly feeling very tired Bella shut down the laptop and crawled into her bed. She fell asleep listening to the gentle sound of rain hitting the roof above her head. Hoping to deam about ice cream sundae's and vampire kisses.

**/x/**

_The shadows play on the deep, wide staircase. Thunder and lightning sounding all around her. Outside the storm making its presence known. Like a great master making the ground tremble as he walked and the sky light up with the anger inside him. The lightning is fire across the room, and Bella's face, the sounds coming from the heavens like the master cracking his whip. She felt the dust under her hand from the banister. The same staircase, same house she swore to never return to. Up, up she went. The sound of her footsteps echoing hollow against the stairwell. Fear held her heart in its wicked palm but still she could not stop climbing. There was something there- in the shadows at the very top of the stairs. Some truth that she needed to reach. In a sense of De'ja vu, Bella's small hand runs over something sharp on the wood of the banister. A flash of red flies before her eyes. As if she were more than just a mortal, she smells the salt and rust from her crimson blood that runs in rivers down the railing, down her hand and pools on the step below her. Like a tidal wave, her blood flows thick and strong past her, almost knocking her down. Just as she pulls herself back from the mesmerizing color her life source takes on, she takes a step. But a deep growl stops her. Before Bella is nothing- just endless night. There is no top of the stairs anymore. Nothing to climb to. Behind her, the blood runs to the beast that hunts her. His eyes hypnotic, travel over her body. She feels his lust and hunger churn within the bottom of her stomach. What he wouldn't do to have her. No place he wouldn't go to find her. His evil knows no bounds._

_Suddenly Bella looks around her, she isn't in the Masen home. The short hallway that leads to the staircase in her home is before her. The darkness is so thick that she must feel her way. Cool, smooth plaster under her hand as she walks along.. until she reaches the end. Below her the stairs desend. Out of the dark a great shadow comes forward. Bella knows evil is coming for her. As she runs everything moves so slow, as they often do in dreams. It feels as though her legs are weighed down. Closer and closer he comes. No escape- no more time. She is taken, over-powered by the beast. He drags her down the stairs. Down into the darkness all the while she screams for help that will not come._

**/x/**

Bella is woken by her father rushing into her room. Her screams, that had woken him, had the man reaching for his Glock that he keeps by his bed, and racing to his daughter's side.

"Bella! Hey, it's ok." Charlie is surprised when Bella latches onto him, holding on for dear life. He tries his best to calm her. Times like this the Chief misses his wife the most. He aches for the wife he lost, but also for the mother his child is without. Bella, though strong in both mind and soul, needs her mother. Sometimes, Charlie just isn't enough. He knows this and understands.

"Bella? You want to tell your old man about the dream?" He looked down at Bella's pale face- cheeks wet with tears.

"No dad. Thanks, but I'm ok." She hoped. Bella didn't want her father to worry about her losing her mind because she couldn't seem to shake thoughts of the wolf. Not after everything he's got going on. And she wasn't going to let him know she knew about the attack- about how bad it really was. She just hoped she and Edward could stop it before someone else got hurt. Man, that dream seemed so fucking real to her. Chills hit her skin.

"Bells, no wonder you're shaking! Kid, it's not safe to sleep with the window open." Bella jumped, her eyes falling to the open window in her bedroom. As her father went to close and lock it, Bella tried to keep her face emotionless.

"No more leaving the window open- okay?" Bella didn't tell him she hadn't.. but nodded anyway. Panic was creeping up her chest. After her dad left, she slowly got out of bed and went to the dark window over-looking the backyard and the woods beyond. Past her reflection in the glass, she spotted a flash of something moving just beyond her field of vision. Then two round globes of yellow loomed in the darkness. Gasping, Bella flew back from the window. With her back against the wall, she tried not to scream. A fire of anger stirred in her belly and she pushed herself to the window, but there was nothing out there now. Just a branch blowing in the wind. Had it been a trick of her mind? No, she didn't think so. Besides, the open window was proof enough. That bastard was here, in her home. In _her room_. He was hunting her- like in the dream. And Bella was pissed off. If it wanted to play hide and seek- then she would play. But it was going to be on her terms. More resolved then ever to help Edward send that evil bastard to hell, Bella vowed to end this.

**/x/**

Edward sat back in a leather chair in his dark, posh Seattle penthouse and closed his eyes. The penthouse takes up the entire 27th floor of the high rise it resides in. With its marble floors and luxury finishes, terraces that lead out to the most spectacular views of the twinkling lights from the city, of the snow-capped mountains in the distance, and of the emerald waters of the Puget Sound below- it is truly the best of the best. A view worthy of a king. And in all its glory, can be very lonely. Edward must admit he likes having a place of his own. Most of the time the family lives together but each have their own personal space when it is needed. Most times he could handle Esme and Carlisle's romantic interludes, Alice's high spirited energy and Rosalie's mood swings, but Edward would always keep a place for his very own to come and think. To write, and play music in peace. And if he so happened to have a ..female guest that night, privacy was of the utmost importance. Now he was thinking about a certain little human within his place. He thought about her walking his dark hardwood floors barefoot. Of her scent in his bed..

After he filled his tumbler once more with his 18 year old Talkisker whiskey, he returns to his chair and allows the smooth, distinct flavor to run down the back of his throat. His mind goes back to Bella. She has taken him. He can't remember ever wanting someone so much. If not to sound like a pansy he would say he was bewitched by her beauty. The fact was Edward was no innocent virgin- even before his turn. Before becoming a vampire he had never had trouble getting the girl. And after, well, let's just say he never had to go looking for female company. He found himself always in the presence of beautiful women who wanted a night with him. He wouldn't call himself a manwhore per se, but he most certainly took time to .._enjoy_ life. To enjoy the embrace of a woman's body. Human or immortal, didn't matter if the vibe was there- so was he. But with Bella there was something different going on. He didn't want to let her slip away. And he most assuredly knew just one night with her under him wouldn't be enough- no where near enough. Her scent alone called to him like no other. If he was allowed to bed her, he would feel like she were his and he hers. If he bonded with her.. God, it would be intense. Thus the reason for his mixed emotions. He knew he shouldn't have called her tonight, but he just couldn't stop himself.

He got up and walked to his large floor to ceiling window looking out over the Puget Sound. The moonlight casts beams of soft light across his firm chest. The yachts with their lights dancing upon the dark water looked like fireflies. He thought about what Bella had said, wanting to lick the ice cream off his body. Jesus, he wanted to go to her now and claim her. He placed his hands high up on the cool glass, letting his loose jeans fall dangerously low on his hard hips. He closes his eyes. He could almost feel her under him as he moved in and out of her warm body. He could hear the sounds she would make as he drove into her with hard, slow strokes. He could feel her soft thighs in his hands as he held her to him. Her taste would be his undoing. He felt the manhood between his hips harden thinking of her. He felt the need to be with her- a sign of a vampire finding his mate. Then the wolf popped into his mind like a bad memory, and a low growl came from inside his chest. He knew he felt very protective of her already, but if he mated with her- God help anyone who posed a threat to Bella. _His_ Bella.

"Fuck! It's already started." He spoke to the dark world below. Shaking his head he turned and walked to his bedroom, stripping his clothes off as he went. A cold shower was needed. Pausing, he turned his ipod on letting the sound of 'Closer' by NIN fill the space. But his cold shower turned into a very long hot shower where he, alone in the privacy of his large two person shower-stall, under the rainforest showerhead, took matters into his own hands. And as his passions came out of him, a growl with Bella's name attached could be heard bouncing off the Italian tile.

**/x/**

Yellow eyes hide behind thick trees. He can hear her breathing as she sleeps once more. The house, the neighborhood is quiet. He can still smell the bloodsucker who was here at some point. A deep hate-filled growl comes forth and his eyes flash rage. The girl would be his. He would take her and there was nothing the girl, that stupid Chief of police or the dirty dead bloodsucker could do to stop it. He would also make sure she paid for hurting him with that silver. Yes, the bitch would scream in pain as he howled in pleasure. But first, he would play with her some more. Oh thinking about being so close to her again had him burning. If he played his cards right.. he would take her and kill the vampire. He wouldn't fail.

* * *

**A/N: So, Hi! *waves to readers* I really hope you guys aren't hating the chapter by chapter thing here? I think when we get closer to the last chapters that I will do a jump ahead in time. But for right now it will remain chapter by chapter. I hope that's cool. Thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing. Gosh, you make a girl feel lurved. I wish I could send each of you an undead hottie of your very own! Until next time beautiful people- I wish you all love, peace and chocolate!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Song for chapter "Vampire Heart" by HIM**

* * *

**-The Dare-**  
**Chapter eight**

Bella felt relief as the final class for the day ended. While she may love learning and the ability to lose ones self inside a book, school wasn't her thing. It felt wrong to her. Like the gift of learning was wonderful but the wrappings of it made her not want to open the gift . Standardized testing, standardized lunches, and cookie cutter classes designed all the same. But the problem was human beings weren't the same. Being herded like cattle, and taught to color inside the lines made a person feel trapped, bored to tears. Bella felt the real learning was outside the walls of this type of academia. She never wanted to get to the point where she forgot that it was okay to be something else. It was okay to not follow the herd. And by God it was fucking amazing to color outside the damn lines!

As she went to her locker one final time before heading out to wait for the bus, that was another embarrassment, Charlie wouldn't allow Bella her own car, she opened her locker and looked at the little mirror she had taped inside the door. Her eyes were bright today. There was an excitement shining through, but there was caution also. And maybe some worry mixed in. Last night the wolf had gotten close. Too close. Bella had investigated the back yard after her father left for the station. Nothing seemed to be off, but that meant nothing to her. She knew he had been there. She just wanted to talk to Edward about it- to get the ball rolling on ending the wolf's hunting and with any luck maybe bring Edward some closure. He hadn't said outright that was what he was after, but it was pretty clear that was the case.

"Hey Swan, you're looking .. fresh." Said Mike Newton also know as the jackass of Forks High. Mike was your typical small town jock- Letterman jacket, blond hair cut into the lastest style- only Mike's had the undeniable touch of small town. He was Captain of the football team and like something straight off the cover of an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog. God, you could almost smell the apple pie coming from him his was so All-American. And like many guys just like him, he was a chauvinistic pig! No doubt a trait picked up from his dear old daddy.

"Hello Michael, you're looking brain-dead as ever." Bella batted her eyelashes at the boy.

"You got that bitch thing down pat, Bella. I like it when they play hard to get." He stepped closer to her. The boy was short, but built like a brick wall. His close proximity made Bella feel like gagging. He was way too close for her liking. Everything about him repelled her.

With a serious face she asked. "I'm sure you do. I would imagine trying to screw a sheep or a cow would be hard work. Tell me Mikey, in the world of beastiality, do you buy the farm animal dinner before you go in for the lovin'?" She saw such anger flash behind baby blue eyes before the ever-cool, good guy routine came back and Mike put up his 'good-church-going-straight-A-student' act. His whisper was cold and filled Bella's ear.

"Be careful Bella. If Forks high is the barnyard, then I'm the big bad wolf."

He left Bella standing there, speechless. She would have come back with some smart-ass remark but the mention of a wolf threw her off. Did he know something or was it merely a coincidence? God, she was starting to become paranoid that everyone might be the wolf. It was time to end this. She felt like she were a rubber band getting tighter with everyday that past. Just waiting around wasn't Bella's style.

Slamming her locker, Bella headed out, having enough for one day. She noticed the buses were already done. _Just great- Fucking Newton!_ She wouldn't put it past him to have done this on purpose. It was well known that Mike never got over the fact Bella turned him down many times for dates. She just wasn't into swine. The thought of even letting that idiot in her house had the gag reflex coming back.

Looking up to the sky as she reached the parking lot, it started to rain. Soft, thick mist coating the ground in a silver blanket of wet. Surprise, surprise. Forks had two kinds of weather: Raining or about to rain. As Bella geared up for hoofing it home- no way was she calling her dad- a deep rumble came from the left side of the parking lot. Oh God, if Mike had waited to see if Bella wanted a ride, she was going to knee him.. and possibly key his stupid Honda.. Mr. not so fast or furious butt-munch. So Bella did a 180 and started walking off toward the main road. Her father would kill her for doing this but she thought it safer than getting in a car with that date rapist in the making.

She heard the car pull up behind her. _Here we go_, she thought.

"Little human? Now where would you be going?" Spinning around, Bella couldn't help the huge smile that painted her face. There was Edward in yet another car: This time it was a Gray metallic BMW M3 Coupe. And it was nice. Very nice.

"Hello there undead American. What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Bella couldn't believe he was here. At her school. The place she loathed. He might just make the place bearable. If only he could have been in school with her.. Yeah, spend his immortal time pretending to be a high schooler again. Who in their right mind would relive high school again?

"Oh you know, I was out for a drive and then I got hungry. Thought I'd come by the local high school.. kinda like the drive-thru at Arby's" He leaned over and opened her door. "Come on girl, don't want you to get all wet.. well not because of the rain anyway" He gave her a flirty little half smile.

Bella had to grab onto the car door to keep from falling on her ass. "Oh yeah? So what combo number would I be?" She wanted to face palm herself at the ridiculous question.

He leaned over again, looked her up and down before she sat in the seat. "You know you're a ten, baby" He laughed when her cheeks turned pink.

Sitting in his car, the smell of rich leather and Edward's clean scent hit her nose. Bella found herself inhaling the air like it was the only oxygen she was ever going to get. She was afraid she was going to suck the leather right off the seats. She turned to find Edward looking at her with a raised eyebrow as if to say, 'You done now?' Clearing her throat she said, "Home Jeeves." in a very posh voice. Causing Edward to laugh.

"Yes, my dear." As they pulled out she noticed he had on a some Diesel jeans and a black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled half-way up. He was wearing a very nice Cartier Men's Tank watch in stainless steel. He had one large hand placed on the steering wheel and the other casually laying on the gear shift. Cool and relaxed like he wasn't riding around Forks in a Seventy thousand dollar car and had on at least forty-four hundred dollars in clothing and accessories. Bella looked down at her Gap jeans, and the Navy blue Seattle Mariners sweatshirt she bummed from her father. Why, oh God why was it every time she looked like crap, that was the time Edward picked to show up? She made a promise to from now on look cute even if it was just going to bed. Damned if she would walk around looking like some homeless person while in the company of Mr. GQ. She also noticed that every time he would down shift, his arm would flex , showing off those muscles she could only imagine lie just under the thin material of his shirt. She became aware of the background music and couldn't help but laugh. To which he noticed. What was it with this guy and music?

"What? What's that giggle about?" He said with a small smile of his own, never taking his eyes off the road. Though he probably could have and never crashed. Edward seemed to have lightning reflexes.

The clear voice of Christine comes through the speakers singing about The Phantom. "I just didn't peg you for a Opera kind of guy." A long silence fell over them. So much so Bella wondered if she had perhaps angered him. As she looked over at his face he seemed to be lost in thought. It reminded her of the night on the porch after he told of the tragic loss of Elizabeth and Edward Sr.

"My mother. She loved the Opera. And The Phantom of the Opera happened to be her most beloved of them all. I listen once in a while to coddle the memories of her. It's silly." He hit a button and the sounds of 'HIM' took the place of Christine and the Phantom singing. Bella felt like an uber bitch. She shouldn't have laughed. It wasn't as if she were making fun- it just struck her as an odd musical choice.

Reaching over to the hand that rested on the gear shift, she placed her hand upon his. When he looked into her face, Bella's smile was pure warmth to Edward's soul. "I'm sorry, Edward. I think it's really amazing the way you love and remember your parents. They would be very proud of the man you are today."

Pulling his hand out from under hers, even though the action hurt him, Edward said "Thank you, Bella." God, she looked beautiful, thought Edward. And even though he didn't believe her words about him making his parents proud, he almost believed in himself because of the light shining in Bella's eyes. He wanted to make not just his parents proud, but Bella. He wanted to become a man who could stand by her side and feel worthy. A man. That was the heart of it.. a _man_ not a vampire. And then he also knew real life would come knocking at some point and she would either have to join his world or.. . No. No, Bella should have the world given to her, not a half-life of watching the world and all the things about it she loves fade away slowly.

No more was said on the way to the Swan home.

**X**

As soon as the car was parked and Edward was out, a stiffness seemed to hit his body. His eyes grew darker and Bella watched as they shifted around. He also smelled the air with a look as if something smelled really bad. Easy to sense he was on high alert about something. Bella realized he probably smelled the wolf, but wouldn't the scent have been washed away or at least deluted by the rain? Best to bring it up now.

"Um, Edward?"

"Bella get back in the car. Now." His voice was low and had grit to it. If Bella wasn't worried about dealing with a pissed off vampire, she might have thought about how that low growl was sexy.

"So, I'm thinking I should have mentioned this sooner, but last night.."

"Bella! I smell the wolf. I need you to get back in the car and lock the doors. Stay put until I know it's safe." His look was so demanding Bella almost did exactly what he said.. before she remembered herself.

Oh fuuuck were his fangs out? Well, that was hot.. Back to using your brain Bella! "Edward, the wolf was here last night. I think that's what you're smelling. Though I can't figure how the hell the rain hasn't washed the scent away. Maybe you have one helluva sniffer on you but still-"

She was cut off by Edward taking her face in between his palms.

"Bella, I'm trying really hard not to yell until I have all the facts. But my vampy senses are tingling which means I need _you_ to tell me what the fuck happened."

As Bella told Edward about waking up to the opened window after having a killer nightmare about the wolf, Bella thought his head might blow up.

"Why didn't you call me? Bella, I .. you should have called me! I gave you my number to use." He looked at her like she was a little kid. "And last night would have been a stellar time to.._ use_ it!"

"Don't yell at me! I didn't want to call you in the middle of the night!" Bella crosses her arms.

Edward rubbed his forehead like he was getting a headach. "I don't know if you missed it, but I'm a fucking vampire! I keep odd hours like, say staying up most the fucking night! So maybe just maybe next time a Hell-hound comes anywhere near you, maybe you could pick up the damn phone and let me know so I could come and _kill it_. I know it's a crazy idea, but let's try it, yeah?" He watched as she rubbed her eyes with her little fist almost like a small child who missed their nap. He wouldn't think the action was cute. No damn it he would stay mad at her..

"I just don't want anything to happen to you. You mean.. uh, I mean, I want to make sure you and your dad are safe. Does your father know anything?" Bella shook her head no. Edward went back to looking off toward the back yard. "Can you please just.. next time fill me in on the need-to-know's . And if you're not sure if it's need to know.. ask. Please?"

"Okay. I'm sorry but like I've said before- this whole vampire, werewolf thing is new to me." As Edward walked around the house making sure nothing was missed from Bella's little Sherlock Holmes gig this morning, Bella held on to his arm. He felt a certain calm come over him just having her near him, touching him. He knew then this shit was getting deep. And Bella? Well, she felt so protected when he was near. Her inner badass sat back, opened a diet coke and said 'to hell with it' she could still keep her Wonder Woman powers and also let the vamp go all big bad over her. Win/win in her book.

"All right. It all looks okay for now. But we should get going if we want to make it there and back before your dad comes home." He said while grabbing her hand and heading back for his BMW.

"What? Where are _we_ going?"

"To see a friend of mine. She lives just outside of Port Angeles and we are going to pay her a visit." He all but pushed Bella into the car at a speed that had her head spinning. Now Bella wasn't really the type of girl to be bossed around and she was getting antsy with him just assuming she would want to go. And just as Miss badass had sat down- here she had to get all up in Edward's grill for being a shithead..

"Um, excuse me but I think something was missing from all that you just said." She dug her heels in, which wouldn't really help as Edward could pick up his fucking car, so Bella wouldn't stand a chance. But he did wait for her to say whatever it was she wanted to get off her chest. It was a nice fucking chest too, but he was trying not to think about_ that_.

"You forgot to ask me if I wanted to go." Her chin raised ever so slightly.

Signing, Edward gave up. He may have only known Bella Swan a short time, but in that time he had seen the stubborn, willful person she was. She was smart, funny and strong. And sexy as fuck. So if he tried to go toe to toe with her over this, they would be standing here for a while.

"Bella Swan will you please do me the honor of accompanying me on my trip?"

"And where might that be?"

"To see my friend, Didyme, like I said, who lives not too far from here."

"Why do you need to see this person?" The rain was coming down hard now.

"Bella! Will you please get in the car! We're getting soaked."

When they were both in the car and the heater was going full blast Edward made no move to drive. "Didyme is like me- a vampire. She is a healer and .. she has gifts. Gifts that will help me, you, us."

"Gifts? What the hell does that mean? Is she like, your girlfriend or something? What kind of Healer?" Bella was starting to feel childish with the pouting and all, but damn if this wasn't all some big kind of what the fuck with a side of am I dreaming?

"No she isn't a girlfriend. She is a family friend. She's known Carlisle forever.." He gave Bella a look that said 'Forever in the literal sense.' "Didyme was Carlisle's sire. She made him. She was also there for me when I woke from my change."

"I thought vampires didn't get sick or hurt." Bella couldn't help but feel like she should be keeping notes on all this stuff.

"Vampires aren't susceptible to human diseases and our skin is as hard as a dragon's, but we can be hurt, we can become sick in other ways. Didyme uses healing herbs that were used until the new world with its pills and labs stepped in. And she is very special to our race."

"Why? How?" He just smiled and shook his head.

"You will find out soon enough. It's not my place to tell. Just know D won't hurt you and she will know we are coming." He winked. Bella was truly out of her element now.

"Do you have any?"

Edward didn't look at her face but he could tell what Bella meant.

"Yes. I have a.. gift."

Not wanting to push, but not being able to stand it, she asked another question. "Are you going to tell me?"

Looking over at her as he started the car, the smart-ass smirk was back. "Yes." And then no more was said leaving Bella to simmer in her curiosity.

**/x/**

The home looked normal: A small yellow house with white trim and white shutters. The front porch was loaded down with all kinds of potted flowers and a bamboo chime hung by the door. There was a huge porch swing that took up most of the space. A lady bug welcome mat was before the front door. The crunch of gravel under the BMW's tires sounded loud to Bella. Maybe because she was nervous about being around another vampire and one who had 'gifts' She kept seeing an image of her pissing this Didyme person off and ending up as a toad or something. God, the world she got herself caught up in!

"Here we are." Looking at Bella's face Edward could see the tension rolling through her. "Little human, I promise it's going to be ok. Didyme is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. She's just .. different. And she doesn't bite too hard."

The look she gave him told him to back off. "Not a good time to joke?" He asked.

"No."

She frowned at the house. Bella wasn't so sure she was ready to meet another person like Edward. But then looking over at the little 1970 VW Beetle she saw something on the back window of the car that made Bella feel a kindred spirit with this Didyme person- it was the small colorful Goddesses of the Elements sticker that made up Bella's mind for her. For back in her bedroom was the same sticker...

**X**

When the screen door opened there stood a small red headed woman before Edward and Bella. She seemed to be in her late forties. Her hair was a fire ball of color shaped into soft spiral curls falling to her shoulders. Her eyes were as black as night but not in a menacing way. They sparkled with a kindness she would never be able to hide. But there was a strength coming from ever pore in her body. An energy that spoke of untold power that she held within her petite frame. She looked like a Gypsy queen in a soft, long flowing skirt of deep reds, blues, greens and golds, with tiny crystal beads sewn in the fabric so that when she moved it made a soft, peaceful sound. She was barefoot and her toenails were painted a bright lime green. She wore a soft blue tanktop with a thin sheer teal wrap. Didyme's ears were pierced all the way from lobe to shell of her ears, her nose also had a small yellow jewel in it. And she wore many gold bangles on her right wrist and a beautiful Emerald Celtic ring on her index finger of her left hand. In a nutshell, she was magical.

"Welcome Edison and friend." Her voice was feminine, but deep and rich in its tone. But why did she call him 'Edison'?

"Didyme, good to see you. You've been well?" Edward's face lit up when looking at the woman. Bella didn't want to feel jealous because there didn't seem to be anything but a friendship coming from both, but still she was very beautiful and seemed to radiate love and warmth and .. magic. Once again Bella was left out feeling utterly, boringly human.

"Fear not Bella Swan. All the magic in the world could not cast a spell powerful enough to sway his devotion. It is quite clear where his vision is fixed." Didyme spoke so softly, but so authoritatively to Bella that it left no doubt. Bella didn't know if she was _that_ transparent of if the woman had the ability to read her thoughts.. Edward seemed lost though, and for that Bella was greatful.

"Am I missing something? I'm not going to even ask how you know her name." He laughed.

"Girl talk, Edison. You know what that means, no?" She sounded like an older sister or a mother scolding her young.

"Means I don't want to know and should stay out of it."

"Smart man." She patted his cheek as they entered the home.

Edward leaned in close to Bella to whisper in her ear "We've been here all of one minute and you two are already holding secrets from me." Shaking his head with a smile he kissed the side of Bella's head. She had to force her legs to not give out. Bella took a deep breath and was hit with the scent of cherry blossoms and .. mint? It was a mouth watering mix and seemed to ease her nervousness.

Before she could get lost in the scent and feelings it invoked, she asked. "Why does she call you Edison?"

From the other corner of the small house Didyme answered. "I call him Edison after another man who never seemed to stop thinking: Thomas Edison. Although I would never really admit to his face, until now, they were and are both geniuses who's minds are always running. While Thomas' was always looking to improve life, Edward's is to live it to it's fullest. Both brilliant, money making, couldn't sit still men." She spoke as if she knew him personally..

"Yes. I knew him." Didyme said coming around the corner with a dish towel in her hand and a smile on her face. "He was one of the first freethinkers of our world. And for the era it was in, he was refreshing. That is one of the reasons I call Edward 'Edison'. Oh dear I've just dated myself haven't I? " She walked back through the sunroom at the back of her home leaving Bella's jaw on the floor.

"Welcome to my world." Edward said as he pushed her chin up so her mouth closed. Bella wanted so badly to ask who else famous they might have known, but thought better of it. She didn't want to come off as some freaking nutjob. Even if she did feel like she just fell down the rabbit hole.

The design of the home was comfortable, and laid back while still looking like something from a movie set. Another thing Bella noticed- the outside while sunny and tropical looking- didn't matched the inside. True there were bright colors on the walls mixed in with dark furniture. But it was a more modern feel here. A colorful Crystal chandelier was above the dinning room table and it was the focal point for sure. The silver part of the chandelier twisted into artful turns with beautiful deep red and black crystals imbedded between. From below it clear crystals that hung like a waterfall of sparkle. The red and black played into the red walls throughout her home and the deep, rich dark floors. Another thing Bella realized there were bottles and jars everywhere. Herbs. Like Edward had said Didyme was a Healer. Books everywhere as well- there were many, many books all around the home. It didn't look messy per se, more like the books were all were they should be: just in reach if she needed them. Something told Bella Didyme knew where every single book was located and wanted it there for a reason.

As they stood in the arched doorway to Didyme's kitchen, the woman seemed to have eyes in the back of her head- for just as Edward was about to reach out and tap a jar that had some kind of honey-like concoction, the woman spoke out to him.

"I know why you're here and don't touch that. You spill it on yourself and your skin will be purple for a month." Snatching his hand back Edward looked at Bella with a sort of 'What the fuck?' look. Bella decided to stand perfectly still and not move or touch anything.

"You know? Now why am I not surprised?" He said.

"It came calling here in Port you know- the wolf. Killed those poor students." She said while shaking her head and pouring something into a mug. "It wasn't a hunger killing. No that kill was about anger." She turned her dark eyes to Bella and then let them drift up to Edward. Some unspoken understanding past between the two vampires. "He won't stop until he has what he came for. Each generation is stronger, meaner than the one before it. Their powers and are as great as the evil that lives in them."

"Well I am going to stop him before he can .. take what he wants." Edward looking every bit the big bad that could make good on that promise.

"Don't let your past or feelings cloud your judgment now, Edision. Too much at risk.. far too much. Now is not the time to settle old scores."

"Then when is, Didy? You know what it's like better than anyone! One less werewolf walking the earth is a good thing."

"If you run off half-cocked, the past _will_ repeat itself." The emotions on her face seemed to turn into stone as she spoke with Edward. Bella, for once was happy to be out of the loop.

Didyme walked over with the mug and a large brown jar in her hands. She sat it down in front of them both. "Here is the Aconite you seek. You already know how to use it."

Bella looked up at Edward's face and then down to met Didyme's that was once again soft and open with a smile.

"What is Aconite?" Bella asked.

"Wolfsbane. I am going to use this in and around your home little human. It wards off werewolves."

"But before you go I want her hand. If she will allow me?" Bella realized Didyme was talking to her.

Swallowing, Bella said "Um, you want to do what with my hand?"

Sitting down Didyme opened a deck of cards. They seemed a lot like Tarot cards but completely different at the same time. They were very old. Just as she cut the deck all the candles within the room flickered and flames came to life and danced- casting shadows upon jars, walls and the bangles on the vampire.

"How did you..?" Bella looked in the woman's face to see her smile and wink at Bella. _Too fucking cool,_ Thought Bella.

"Show off." Muttered Edward as he sat down beside Bella at the round glass table.

"Now, Bella, tell me do you believe in past lives?.."

* * *

**A/N Didyme is going to be a trip- she has been a force in my mind for a long time.. that sounds weird! lol **

**Join me next time? Thank you so much for reading and leaving me your thoughts! Also, please forgive any mistakes as I am now over it (editing that is) :D **


	9. Chapter 9

**Twilight is not mine. But I do own this plot!**

**Song for chapter: "Dead Souls" Cover by_ NIN_**

* * *

**-The Dare-**  
**Chapter nine**

"You've had a tragic loss in your life." Didyme seemed to be looking into Bella's very soul. Her black eyes like a bottomless cavern of truth and compassion. "Your mother. You lost her at a very young age, did you not?"

Bella could feel Edward's eyes on her as she looked at Didyme. She felt uneasy- like her skin was too raw and his eyes moving over her hurt and rubbed the wrong way. Bella didn't want that part of her life to be opened in front of Edward- not yet anyway. She didn't know what the woman might see. Would it be bad news? Would Didyme see the wolf killing her? Or worse- Edward?

_What happened to all my bravery_, thought Bella.

"Yes, I did. My mom had a brain tumor and passed away a few months after my seventh birthday." She didn't feel like adding anything else at the moment. Like how her father didn't really know the first thing about taking care of a little girl. How other than Jake, Bella didn't have anyone for a very long time. How when she had gotten her first period, Charlie in a panic, dropped Bella off at Mrs. Stanley's house so she could help Bella understand womanhood with all its trappings. It wasn't easy growing up without a mother, but she had done it and didn't want to think on it anymore. There really was no point in crying over spilt milk.

"In what month did she pass?" Didyme wasn't being cold in her questions, but thoughtful. Like she was putting something together or honing in on something in her mind.

"She was diagnosed late." Clearing her throat, Bella went on "Far too late. The summer I turned seven was the last summer she ever got to see. She passed away before the first snowfall." Bella held back the sob that was bubbling up as her throat became tight. She never talked about her mother's death. Not even with Jake. And Charlie never brought it up to her. After Renee was laid to rest, it was like her father's heart went with her and it was done.

"It was as if she just gave up. November. She passed in late November." Looking down, Bella's dark hair fell around her face and neck blocking her from Edward's eyes. She kept her stare down in her lap where the ends of her hair lay. The edge of her tears fell on the tips of her long bangs- like raindrops on a spider web. Edward in a moment of weakness leaned over and took a long, silky lock of Bella's hair to dry her tears with.

The act was so innocent and so pure in its motive that Didyme felt a warmth around her.

The action caused her to really look upon him- Edward had an Aura of bright yellow formed around his being- the vampire was struggling to maintain his control over a relationship. He had fear of losing said control. Didyme didn't know how to tell him it was too late now. The vampire's loyalty and vow of protection was thick in the air around them. If he and the girl didn't form the bond soon, Didyme would be surprised. _It is too late Edison, everything you are, have been or will be belongs to Bella_, Thought Didyme. He also had a shadow that hovered over him like ink spreading through water- as it was with all of their kind. A vampire was walking on the edge of death and so a small part of death stayed with them always. Like an old cloak. And it was up to all Immortals to learn to respect death, not fear or run from it.

Didyme then turned her gaze to watch the young one. Such beauty for a Mortal. And the strength coming from the girl's heart rang out like church bells in an early Sunday morning's dawn. The Aura surrounding Bella Swan was golden light with touches of white. Which fell right into line with what Didyme was thinking; Bella was being guided. A divine protection was upon her from the crown of her head to the very sole's of her feet. _Her Mother_. The white was her pure strength and strong mind. The gold was that of an ageless wisdom and spiritual stronghold. As she looked at Bella, who's head was still bowed, she saw a pale white hand reach out and slip through the long, dark waves that fell from the girl's head. Edward's hand was like a ghost in the night against Bella's hair. He took such care in touching her. And when he did, a rainbow of colors seemed to surround them both. A brilliance that only came from finding your soul's mate.

_A perfect match_, she thought. But she wouldn't be spilling the beans to them just yet. She found that with humans, it was better to let them discover the realm of supernatural on their own if possible. And the same could be said for males- both human and vampire alike- seemed to be clueless until they stumbled upon the truth. _'With thine own eyes thou shalt see'_ Didyme said in a language older than any other. Edward's eyes shot up to Didyme in that moment, because he knew what she said. All vampires knew this language as it were in their very bloodlines.

"Isabella, may I have your hands please."

As Bella and Didyme made the connection, the candle's flames flickered again. This time the flames turned a bright green in color. Edward put his finger to one of the flames and was shocked to find the flame was as cold as ice.

"So my finger's cold. . I know it's always cold, but while in the flame.. it's cold. And it's green the flame- not my finger... if anyone wanted to know." Edward said as he played in the green flame, flicking his finger back and forth.

As both Bella and Didyme looked over at Edward's finger sitting in the flame, Bella's face was a mask of unease which wouldn't help at all.

"Edison, do I need to ask you to move to the other room?"

"No. Sorry." He looked like a little boy about to be sent to the headMaster's office. "But why is the flame all cold and shit?"

"Edison, please hush." She said in a voice that ended any further questions.

"What is this.. this feeling of static running through me?" Bella's dark brown eyes were wide.

Didyme closed her eyes and reached out into the heart of the power, to the core of its light. There she saw many lifetimes flash before her like pages in a book. Centuries upon centuries of a woman in different walks of life; a maiden, then flash to a Queen on her thrown, next came the vision of a warrior fighting to save her people, then came a woman kneeling over a cross with tears running down her face. Went on and on. Though the places, clothing and times changed, the face, that beautifully innocent face of Bella Swan was the face of each woman from every walk of life. The consistency in each was the same: Giver. Bella the maiden was as giving and helpful to her household as she was as a Queen ruling over her lands. The warrior who fought with deadly speed and fearless strength was also giving as she served death to those whom would harm her people- She gave honorable killings to her enemy. Even as she prayed to her God, she prayed for other's needs and protection, not her own. But Didyme also saw that the fearlessness of her youth now was her way of being free. The taste of freedom was sweet in the times Bella allowed them to come.

Calmly speaking, Didyme said "The past."

Edward looked between both women. To Didyme, his face showed the same questions Bella's had. To Bella his face then became full of concern and fierce protectiveness.

"Didyme? What did you see?" The only noise that could be heard where the fanning of the flames from the candles and the wind blowing outside the home.

"She has lived many lives before. Far more than I have ever seen for a Mortal." Bella looked confused, frustration had grabbed hold of her. So Didyme went on to explain, "One lifetime is never enough. A person's journey is never truly over- not until the soul feels its job is done. That is why I asked you about the past lives. You have lived many Bella. The fact that you have, combined with the Aura I see around you, now leads me to believe you are an Eternal." Didyme felt the shock coming from Edward.

"What does all this mean for me though? What's an Eternal? Are you one?" She seemed to be asking both of them but Edward left the talking to Didyme. Wise of him.

"It means you have a great mind and a powerful essence. As a human, you have the gift of living many times over. Once someone becomes a vampire the gift is taken away. We can no longer do that because we are fundamentally 'stuck' within the one life and essence we are turned in. But even then very few vampires can say they have lived the lives you have Bella. An Eternal is one who.." Didyme looked at Edward because she didn't know how Bella would take these things she was being told. As Edward grabbed Bella's hand, Didyme pushed forward. "It means you were one of the first to walk .. the Earth."

No one said anything. Bella didn't think she was even breathing. But leave it to Edward to break the silence.

"You're going to use this when we get in fights aren't you? The whole 'I'm Eternal' thing. I will never hear the end of it."

**/**

As Edward and Bella pulled back in to the Swan's driveway, Bella still felt numb from what Didyme had said. Past lives, Tarot cards that read about Bella's mother watching over her and giving her an inner strength. Cards that seemed to have told Didyme something, but it was something she was not to share with Bella until at a later time. It was all like being stuck in a dream. When she looked over at Edward she had to feel thankful he seemed to stick by her thus far. Living lives before the one she lived now- how was it possible? She was raised to believe you got one life so you better make the most of it. After all that was what hit the hardest when you lost someone: knowing you wouldn't see them again. And the fact Bella was what Didyme called an Eternal meant Bella's soul didn't just end up in some random body, it was Bella in some form or another through all the ages of this world. _Talk about a mind-bender_, she thought.

The engine was turned off but still they both just sat there like they didn't have the will to move. It had been one hell of a few days for Bella. She wondered if her mind could possibly take anymore of this supernatural shit before it just blew up?

"Are you okay little human?" Boy was that the wrong question to ask. Judging by the look on Bella's face nothing was okay. She sat looking very pale and very much in shock. Her heartbeat was steady so that was a relief. Edward was at a loss of what to say. What do you say when a human girl gets a crash course in all things horror movie magic? This was like something out of a Stephen King novel.

He was about to open his mouth again when she beat him to it, "Let's recap, shall we? I get picked up from school by the vampire who saved me from becoming dog food. He then finds out the wolf that I would be the dog food for was in my home. So we Red Riding hood it over to 'grandma's' house to pick up some Wolfsbane- where I meet someone who could have been an extra on Lord of The Rings! Then she proceeds to tell me I have lived for Centuries as different people- none of which I remember, mind you- but it get's better because you see, I am an Eternal. That lovely piece means I stayed within this form I am now.. and have been around since dirt was new!" Bella did a bounce and clap like a little kid who got ice cream. Her sarcasm was very high today... "I get a Tarot reading and some kind of channeling of her power through me that felt like I licked a power outlet, and then find out my mother who's passed on is watching out for me from the beyond. Did I forget anything?"

"Maybe I should've had you wait in the car." For a second time that day Edward got the feeling he was about to be put in a time-out by a female.

"You never did tell me." Edward raised an eyebrow not having a clue what Bella was talking about. She wasn't the only one thinking about how crazy the day had been. Edward was jonesing for a shot of something strong and that burned all the way down. "About the gift you have. You never told me. If you tell me you're as gifted as Didyme, I might need to lay down. Just saying."

Well shit. Moment of truth time. Edward didn't like talking about his 'gift'. He felt like one of those butterflies in the glass cases you see on school field trips to Museums.

"My .. gift as you would call it, it's not some superhero shit, really. It's just.. " He was having a hard time and making an ass out of himself. How the hell was he supposed to explain this without sounding like an idiot? He kept going, "Dreams, I can walk into them. I'm a Dream-walker." God, someone cut his head off and burn the pieces. Dracula had the power to become mist, fog, and other cool things. Edward? He could pop up in some weird dream someone was having about being chased by a giant coffee cup.

"How does it work? Like you just walk around until you find a person dreaming and jump on in?"

"More like I have to make a conscious decision to go to that person."

"Does the person have a choice?" She didn't look angry- more interested in the hows and ways of it.

"Not really. Most times it's like walking into a store; the glass doors open and you have before you whatever they carry within their daily lives. For someone with a strong will, like say a little human I know, it would be more difficult because your mind would try and push out the 'intruder'."

"Have you ever-"

He cut her off, "Never. Bella, your mind isn't a playground for me. Your dreams, your inner thoughts are your own. I would never take that which wasn't given to me freely. Not with my family, not with you."

"Thank you." Was all that was said between them for a few minutes. Both enjoyed the quiet time to reflect on the long day.

**/**

"My father wants to meet you. He was very.._ enthusiastic_ about it." Bella's smile was all innocent- too innocent. Yup. Gonna need that drink soon, thought Edward.

"And will I be meeting his gun collection as well? Or perhaps the sole's of his Tactical boots?" He asked while placing the Wolfsbane all around the Swan house- he already had the outside area covered so that if the wolf set paw in the yard his ass would get a dose of nasty.

"When he saw us in Port Angeles he freaked. He said he was to meet you if we were to ever.. hang out again. He also ran your name through the system so I hope you have been a good vampire." Her laugh showed her nervousness. Poor little human, her nerves were shot to hell.

"I figured he would check up on me once he knew of me. Don't worry, I check out clean. And I would like to meet your old man. Parents love me." His wink did nothing to settle Bella's nerves.

"So this Wolfsbane that you are putting around the house and windows, how does it work?" She watched as Edward used the herbs.

"It's almost like a pulse shoots through the wolf warning it to stay away. Everything about Wolfsbane repels them. So with any luck he won't want to even come within fifty feet of your house. And if he does, I'm going to be close."

"What about vampires- is there something that sends you off?"

"Yeah, it's called the sun. And until they make a sunscreen SPF 1000, it will remain that way." His smile always made Bella feel things- wonderful, scary things. "Listen, I wanted to ask you about something. I know this Wolfsbane will work, but if it's okay with you I would like to hang out here tonight. I can stay in my car if you want but I would feel a lot better knowing I was close by just in case. That copacetic with you?"

Was she okay with Edward spending the night? Oh my.. that sent heat right down the center of Bella. What was really amazing was he didn't just assume or go ahead with it. Edward asked first out of respect. That meant something to a female like Bella. She would have resented him if he had just gone ahead with his plans without discussing them with her- like her opinions or thoughts didn't matter. "Yeah, sounds good. But you can crash here. I mean, _in_ _here_. My room." Yup. That came out all wrong.

"You sure about that little human? Don't want to make you feel uncomfortable or anything." He had a light in his eyes like he would be teasing her about that fumble of words for awhile.

"Should be fine. Great, even. We can hang out, talk." And the hole she digs gets deeper..

"If your father doesn't catch me and turn me into a slice of Swiss cheese, we can have a sleep over" He said in a terrible Valley girl voice. "We'll do our nails, brush one another's hair and talk about all the hunks in the latest Seventeen magazine! Oh what fun." He even went as far to bat his eyelashes. Bella wanted to kiss him so badly. Nothing hotter than a good looking man with a personality. And boy did Edward have both, in spades.

"Speaking of my father.. When do you want to meet him? I promise not to let him shoot you- or to at the very least give you a head start on the running away."

Edward placed his hand over his heart, a look of adoration and awe upon his face. "Be still my dead heart.. for I have found my dream girl. She, the one who gives me the 'Run Forest!' Before her gun-toting father tries to perforate my torso. What a girl."

He got up off the floor under the window and walked over to Bella's bed where she sat. Leaning back on his hunches, his face grew serious. "It would be my honor to meet your father. I will protect both of you. You know that don't you? I know I come off as an ass most of the time, but when it's go-time, that wolf is going to meet a very bad end."

Looking in his deep green eyes, listening to him pretty much vow to keep her and her father safe, Bella thought of how right now would be the perfect moment to kiss. Stupid thought really, but she wanted to kiss him more than she had ever wanted anything in her whole life. Hell, she bet in any of her past lives, too!

"I know, Edward. I trust you." God, that was hard to say because other than her dad and Jake, Bella never trusted anyone. But once it was spoken aloud and with conviction, she found it was the truth. And it made her feel like some of her burden was gone. Like she now had someone to lean on. She didn't even realize how much she had wanted and needed that until now.

**/**

As Edward drove back to his penthouse to wait until later that night to return to the Swan home, he thought about what Didyme said about Bella being an Eternal. Jesus, what a mess this had turned into. When he first met Bella he thought he would kill the wolf and return her to her human life unharmed or changed by his world. What an idiotic thought that was. Because now it was looking like everything was changing and he was hopeless to stop it. He saw the look in Didy's eyes- he knew that look. There was something she wasn't telling them and it was big. Like life changing big. Needing someone to talk to, he hit speed dial on his cell. It rang once, twice and then the sweet voice of his mother picked up.

"Edward, dear is everything all right?" _Fuck. What a loaded question_, he thought as he rubbed his chin. Esme and the rest of the family knew about Bella and how she and Edward had come to meet. But as far as his fast growing feelings- they didn't seem to catch on to those.

"Yes and no. I took Bella to Didyme's today."

"Oh goodness. What made you take her to see Didy?" As Edward went into detail about the wolf having been on the Swan property, Esme listened to her son, never interrupting.

"Sweetheart you take on too much worry. If anyone can protect Bella and her father it is you. As for what Didyme saw, that would have been so with or without your presense in her life. Her path was set before you ever entered her world. All you can do is your very best and leave it up to the fates. You know you have our support and help with anything. Your father wants to help with the wolf.. he feels he owes you."

Edward knew Carlisle dealt with guilt over the death of his parents. For some reason the Cullen men felt the need to take the weight of the world upon their strong shoulders. But Edward didn't want his family anywhere near the wolf. Bella being near was bad enough. Even if he knew he wouldn't allow any harm to come to her or his family- this fight was Edward's. He alone would have the final blow and he would either kill that nasty piece of work or die trying. This time he would protect the ones he loved and he knew that Bella was included in that.

No going back for any of them.

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**A/N: Most of the supernatural stuff in my stories are based off of the inner workings on my mind (Scary, I know) But the dreamwalking is based off The books Vampire Academy- if you haven't read them- do so now! Also, my favorite scene in the Twilight books was in New Moon (page 17 I think) when Bella and Edward were watching Romeo & Juliet and Bella was crying. When Edward took a lock of her hair to dry her tears, that was so small in print,, but to me it was the most romantic thing that happened in the whole saga. And not one person seems to have the same feelings I do because I can't find it anywhere in Fics! Lol I'm weird I guess. I don't know how I feel about this chapter- I'm treating it like a bottle of wine and letting it breathe. I won't be updating again until May 16th because we only have three more chapters to go plus an Epilogue. So I have lots of writing and editing to get done. So join me then? Thank you for reading. And as always your thoughts make my day! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Meyer owns Twilight, I'm just playing with it. I'll put it back when I'm done. Promise :)**

**Song for chapter: "Imaginary" by _Evanescence_**

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**-The Dare-**  
**Chapter Ten**

"I want you to do me." Bella was sitting on her bed in her PJ's. They were purple, grey and black and had tiny skulls and roses on them. They were her favorite set but it still made her feel like she was meeting the Queen of England in sweats or something.

"I beg your pardon?" Edward was pretty sure vampires couldn't actually have strokes, but hearing Bella say,in her bed no less, that she wanted him to 'do her' was sending his body into a tailspin. His mind raced with possibilities.

"The dreamwalking. I want you to .. do that to me." She looked down at her white bedding thinking about how weird it was to have him here- In her bedroom while her father was asleep in his bedroom. Ballsy move, too. Charlie was the kind of man to shoot first and ask the questions later. If he ever found out Edward, the boy he had yet to meet, was with Bella in her bedroom, at night, all alone, he would shoot Edward faster than you could blink.

"Little human, you don't want that. It would mean I would have access to all your private thoughts. Whatever was in your subconscious, I too would see." Edward was layed out on Bella's bedroom floor with a pillow under his head. Her ceiling had stars on it and he was transfixed on those tiny plastic stickers. Bella had blushed a bright red when he pointed them out. She said they were done when she was 13 and that she just hadn't bothered to take them down yet. Edward didn't see a reason to. They were relaxing, soothing to look up and see the tiny greenish blue glow up above.

Laying back down, Bella let her heart take a leap of faith her head never could. "I want you to know." Not even a heartbeat later she felt the bed dip down next to her and felt the rush of wind from his fast movement. She looked over into a very handsome face. The light from her bathroom cast shadows upon him making the lines of his cheekbones, brows and eyes stand out even more. His face was perfection and it wasn't blind love making her think that or teenage hormones. Edward was the kind of handsome that hurt to look at. He walked the fine line at being too beautiful. His scent wafted over and filled Bella's head with silly thoughts. Like how she could just lean over across the ocean of pillows between them and kiss him. She could start this, whatever it was with them, because dear God things needed to start soon. Very soon before she blew up taking the neighborhood with her as her emotions overwhelmed her. And surely his daughter blowing up would wake Charlie.

"You want me to know what, Bella?" His whisper seemed so erotic. His scent was sinful and she felt like she was going to pass out. His eyes roamed her face searching for the truth. He seemed almost .. hopeful.

Blowing the bangs out of her eyes, Bella said, "I want you to know what I think inside. The personal things. The things I can't say, but I can show you. I want to feel what it's like to have you there." _Because you're already in my heart_, she thought.

God, what Edward wouldn't give to hold her and kiss her right now. That was a bad idea on so many levels, not just because they were lying in her bed alone while the darkness covered them. Here alone in the night they could do anything with one another and no one would know and no one would stop them. He could so easily reach over and feel her skin. So easy. It was a bad idea to get inside her mind, but Jesus an ever worse one to be inside of her. And he wanted to do both. Badly. He went with the safer one of the two desires.. Only he didn't know that both pathes would lead to the same road.

"Okay little human. But if at any point you're not feeling it, tell me to leave and I will."

"How can I do that?" He wanted to smooth the frown from her forehead.

"We will be talking just like we are now. So if you feel like it's too much, I will go. Easy as that. Close your eyes."

Bella closed her eyes all the while fully trusting Edward as he lead her into a world she knew nothing about: just as he had since the first time they met.

Quietly he said, "Relax. Let your body feel the smooth cotton under you, the warm sheets against your legs. Feel the soft feathers under your head and melt into the bed." His voice was always soothing and calming, but more so now. He was her guide as she fell into a deep sleep. "Let yourself drift off and I will meet you there my sweet.." Bella fell into that deep sleep before she could hear the rest of what he said.

Bella had never been in such a place. The beauty before her struck a cord of longing and awe within her heart. At first sight of this place she thought she was in heaven. Never had she dreamed up something like this. She stood in a round meadow full of wild flowers of every color and even some colors she didn't have names for. The smell from the botanical wonder around her was so sweet, so filling. A purple and blue butterfly floated by her face and made Bella laugh as she could feel the wind made by its tiny wings. This was the kind of place shadows never dwelled. There was no such thing as pain or loss here. Fear could never be found within this world. It gave her a feeling of peace of mind and joy in her body. The very air she breathed was a medicine to her soul. The meadow was a perfect circle true, but in the center there was a garden with waterfalls, stone statues of glorious greek gods and goddesses who looked to the sky. Bella looked up as well and there was what all the wonder was about: The stars were out in all their beauty, but so was the sun. It was as if they shared the sky and showed off for each other. It was neither dark nor light. Something inbetween, and it was lovely. There were stone benches to sit at and even more flowers while butterflies fluttered around. She could hear the rushing of the waterfalls. Feel the sweet breeze on her face

_Magical._

"I hope I didn't go overboard with all the sweet and pretty. I just thought maybe your inner five year old girl would like a place fit for a Princess."

Bella turned to see Edward standing there beside the small pond full of fish of all colors. He was dressed in white silk pants. The shirt he wore was also white and it was a button down made of the same silk. She looked down to see what she had on: white silk sundress. It had tiny crystals around the hem and a dark blue ribbon at the waist. Both of them were barefoot. Her bright green nail polish seemed dull in the dream's world.

"I feel like I'm in a fairytale." She laughed and it caused more butterflies to come as if drawn by happiness.

"So you approve?" He asked while sitting down.

"Yes, I do. I mean, it kind of makes me feel as though I were inside a puff of cotton candy with all the sweetness, but for some reason it feels like it's exactly what I need." She looked around taking it all in; breathing it in and letting in consume her. "How do you do that? You just always seem to know what to say or do to help me in ways no one else ever has." Bella sat down beside Edward.

"Well, now that you're here and I'm here you can make this place anything you want it to be. After all it is your mind we're in. I must say I'm shocked there are no cobwebs!" He laughed and dodged the smack Bella tried to lay upon his arm.

"You know my dreams as of late have been.. dark." Her voice was nothing but a whisper on the wind.

"What are they about? What about them are dark?" Edward took hold of Bella's hand- the tempature was like everything else in this cocoon of perfection he created for her, just right.

"I dream the wolf comes, but before that it's as if a shadow passes over my dreams. Like a forwarning of his coming. I .. ." Bella was worried to say any more.

"What?"

"I was afraid. I'm still afraid." She spoke the words as if she were shocked to hear them coming out of her own mouth. "Even now, here with you, I worry talking about it will bring it forth. Like if I speak about my fears, not just about the wolf, but life as a whole, I give it power over me. Edward, I've never been truly afraid not even as a little girl when my mother died. I became the strength my father lost. I became this wild child because I wanted to feel every inch of life that I could. I wanted to show death that he couldn't touch Bella Swan. I wanted to tell him to piss off and that I was the master of my own fate. And I thought if I did all those things, the dares, the tests, that I would be doing it for my mother. Some kind of screwed up, misplaced way to honor her memory. Even more messed up.. I thought if I gave Dad something else to focus on-other than being without my Mom- it would be for the better." I single tear fell from her eye. Bella watched as Edward captured it on his finger tip and looked on as it turned purple and became a butterfly.

"Bella, look at me." His voice was so sweet and soft, but she couldn't. "Please."

Her eyes met his, "Show me what your world is like, okay? Let's just not worry about anything: no wolves, no losses, no bad things. Just you and me. Here. Can we do that? Can you show me you, Bella? Please drop your shield and let me in. I will keep you and your heart safe." He said it with the tone of truth. They both knew he would hold her heart, her world in his arms and keep them safe.

**{}**

Edward watched the little girl with big brown eyes and freckles on her tiny nose run, laugh and play in the large back yard. Her father chased her until she leapt up onto the yellow and white gingham blanket that her mother lay upon. Renee looked like an older verson of Bella: Beauitful and full of happiness. She held much love in her blue eyes. As Bella ran into her mother's waitng arms, her father pretened to fall down of exhaustion, which he was sure wasn't too far off the mark thanks to the very hyper girl. Looking over he watched Bella stand beside him with a sad smile on her face as she too watched a ghost of memories from a lifetime gone forever play out.

"How old were you here?" He spoke gentle as if to not disturb the happy family.

His question seem to catch her off gaurd. "Oh. Well, I was almost four, I believe. Yes, I was just about to turn four." They said no more as little Bella started to ask questions. The kind of questions that most children ask, but Bella proved most precocious with hers.

_"Daddy, you're a boy, right?" She looked up into her father's face with such trust and innocent faith that anything Chief told her she would believe- even if he said the sky was green and the grass blue, Bella would have believed her father even when her own eyes could cleary see the truth and tell her different._

_"Yes, Bells. I'm a boy or I was a boy. Now I'm a man."_

_Frowning, she turned to her Mother "And you wased a girl right Mommy? Now you're a lady!"_

_"Yes, my sweet Isabella. I am and someday you will be one, too." Renee Swan's voice was enchanting. It held a tune of ease. It was the voice of a loving mother. It reminded Edward of his own Mom, Elizabeth._

_"Jake says boys don't like girls because they got cooties. But I told Jacob Black he was wrong because Daddy's a boy and he married you Mommy and you're a girl." Leaning over to whisper in her mother's ear, though it carried louder than if she had just spoke it normally, Bella said, "And I know my Mommy don't gots cooties. So that means Jacob Black is a big stupid head!" And then Bella giggled._

_Charlie Swan tried not to laugh. He really did and he held it together for as long as he could. But then he joined in with his daughter's joy because Jacob Black was in fact a stupid head._

_"Charles Swan, do not laugh at this! Isabella Marie, is that any way to treat your best friend? By calling him names?" Her tone was firm but Renee's face was full of love._

_"No Mommy. I'm sayting a fact. Daddy said so!"_

_"You mean 'Stating' a fact, Isabella. And when did Daddy say so?" Now he was really in trouble it seemed._

_"Renee, sweetheart I merely pointed out to our wonderful, smart daughter that boys like Jake were all stupid heads. As in a fact. That I would be stating."_

**{}**

Bella stopped the memory there. "Dad just didn't like any boys around his babygirl. He was always so protective."

"So this is what I have to look forward to? Is that what you're telling me? I'll make sure to eat my wheaties that day."

"You're a vampire, Edward." Bella looked a million miles away as memories flashed by in front of them.

"Okay, I'll eat someone who has eaten their Wheaties. Better?" They shared a laugh but it felt hallow. He wanted her to feel happiness, not sadness. "Show me something that brings you joy."

As soon as he spoke it, a flash of Renee and Charlie kissing while opening presents on a early Christmas morning came upon them. Bella was missing her two front teeth and she was sitting in the middle of a pile of wrapping paper and boxes- toys strewed across the living room. "It looks as though a toy store blew up!" Edward laughed.

"They were so happy here. Dad had gotten Mom an emerald neckless. Her favorite color, and she was filled with such love that day. She was like our lighthouse- guided us, kept us safe from a cold, harsh sea. That morning even amidst the toy frenzy, I saw their love and I thrived on it."

Edward touched Bella's hand. "Now show me something that is just for you." An image of Bella writing popped up and she was adding images on paper next to words she had written as if it were cover art.

"You are truly something amazing Bella Swan." It was hard to drop her guard and allow him into this part of her world. Her writing, her art was precious to her.

"My mom used to write all the time when I was little. While other children were being told the same old fairytales over and over that parents had used for hundreds of years, my Mother wrote her own and allowed me to add in what I wanted. I loved every part of it." Bella sighed.

"She sounds like she was as an amazing person as her daughter is."

"She was the most caring, selfless person I ever had the honor of knowing and I miss her every second."

Whispering, Edward said, "I know that feeling well. Very, very well." This caused Bella to look at him. He really did understand. Because even though he had Esme, he still had lost his birth Mother. She watched as he walked over to the meadow and sat down in the center of it. Following his lead, she sat next to him.

"Now Isabella Swan, show me something you want. Show me your hearts true desire." He looked playful. Probably thinking She as a New York Times best seller would come or fame and riches would pop up in the form of Bella being a movie star. Neither happened.

An image of Edward and Bella wrapped in each other's arms came into focus. They were lying in bed together, naked. Kissing passionatly as a fire burned in a hearth. Though the fire between them out-burned the fire that ate away at the wood logs. As the scene grew in intensity, Edward felt his blood rush and pool in between his hips. He never thought Bella would desire him the way he wanted her. Trying to gain back some of his blood to get his brain working again, Edward looked away from the scene playing all round them.

"That kind of came out of nowhere. I- it's just I think about it. That. I mean, us. I think about us.. doing. Oh, shit. You saw what I thought.." Bella put her face in her hands. She wanted to hide forever. "Maybe we should stop-" Before she could say another word he was infront of her on his knees pulling her hands from her face.

"Bella." His stare was so intense. He looked at her as if he would never see her again. Bella really didn't like the look in his green eyes.

"What? Just say it, Edward. Whatever is on your mind. Please, please just say it."

"God, I'm losing it. You shouldn't want me little human. I am the last person you should want." He shook his head in disgust, not at her, but at himself. He shouldn't allow things to get so.. close between them. He wasn't the right man for her.

"It's not a choice. Wanting you, needing you. Sometimes you don't get to pick."

"Oh yeah? So who does then Bella? You tell me who the hell decides who or what we want?" He was frustrated and tired.

"Our hearts." Her voice was small and damn near broke his heart.

"Damn it! Don't you do that. Bella, I mean it don't you fucking do that little human!" His voice raised a bit louder.

"Don't do what? Care about you? Want you?"

"YES! Don't you do that shit!" He couldn't let her care about him. He was a vampire- what the fuck did he have to offer her? Lifetimes over of watching the world fade away and rot? Out-living every single person and thing she loved about the world?

Getting up on her knees as well so they were practically nose to nose, Bella said, "Too. late." And in the stillness around them, the air changed with their moods. It became charged with want and passion and tension. She stares at him, he stares right back at her. Neither one would back down. But someone has to admit defeat, didn't they? Slowly his eyes roamed her face, and her eyes ended up fixated on his lips. The urge to consume became almost like another person with them. Both wanting the other.

"Bella, I can't give you anything of worth. I can't .." He looks down as if his head was too heavy to hold up. His shoulders slump- this is not the man Bella knew. This was not the ever-confident Edward that she loved to flirt with. He was unraveling before her eyes.

"You are the _only_ one who can give me anything. Edward? Edward, please look in my eyes."

His eyes, when he does as she asks and looks into hers, are full of every kind of emotion. Anger, fear, passion and loneiless. Such loneiless.

"Isabella, understand me. I'm afraid if I start touching you now, I won't ever stop. I want you to the point of madness." Leaning into her ear, his whisper of breath tickles the side of her neck, "I want to taste you, Bella. I want to taste your sweetness on my tongue, have it coat the back of my throat- I'm not talking about your blood. I think about what it would feel like to have you under me and I want to lay my hands on every inch of you. I want to feel the shape of your curves under my hands, feel the weight of you on top of me." He placed his face in the crook of her neck and Bella's eyes closed and her mouth opened as if that would help slow down her heart. "You are my only desire." As he said this his lips pressed against her collarbone.

"Please kiss me. I know it will be okay. We're safe. Just.. kiss me." Bella wanted to curse herself. She really did. She felt like she was begging him to touch her. Stubborn vampire! She could feel the want coming off him in waves- it matched her emotions perfectly. All she could feel was him around her. Smell him around her. She wanted more, wanted to taste him. To know what his arms felt like wrapped around her while they gave in. And the scene in her heart played out for them through her mind's eye. Flash after flash of kissing, touching, loving. It was too much for Edward. Nawing at his control.

"Shit!" And with that he jumped out of her dream world so abruptly that it pulled Bella out as well. Bring them back to her too warm room, lying in bed with him so close. But before she voiced her regrets or sorries, he was moving.

'Edward-"

"Damn it, I give. If I'm going to hell I might as well do it throughly! And if I'm going to kiss you, little human, it's damn well going to be while you're awake!" Edward pushed Bella back so she was lying down once more. He took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers gently, but full of force. Dear God it was like opening the flood gates, or opening Pandora's box. Nothing was ever going to be the same, and this passion would never be forced to be locked up again. With a groan his let his tongue have a swipe at her bottom lip: So sweet. Surely nothing on God's earth was sweeter than this girl under him. An instint addict he became. He knew in his heart now that he had allowed himself a taste, he would take everything she offered like a true bastard and he would give her anything- even something he never wanted her to have: Himself.

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**A/N: My oh my. So they have kissed and things will be moving *wink* right along now. I think I used up all my sweet & girly on that dream! Lol Now, I offer you a two for one deal: Next chapter- go on click it- you know you want to!**


	11. Chapter 11

**We all know who owns Twilight: Stephenie Meyer. But I own this plot!**

**Song for chapter: "All I Need" by Within Temptation**

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**-The Dare-**  
**Chapter eleven**

"Whoa, whoa. Bella, we can't keep- shit. We need to.. damn that feels good. Okay little human, enough!" Edward put the whole bedroom between him and Bella. It wasn't enough. He had a feeling putting the whole fucking globe between them still wouldn't be enough. She was like an endless river of passion, and him without a paddle for his boat.. ship! It was more like.. a ship in size. His brain was turning to mush around this girl. More than likely due to the lack of blood flow to his brain.

"Your fangs are out. I know you want this, Edward." Her smile would be the death of him.

So not fair. You try and be the nice guy, give a girl the fairytale dream-like date and she goes and turns it into some kind of soft porn-wet-dream-come-true. Or in this case, not 'come' true.

She was right of course. He did want it, and more than anything he wanted to give into that desire to be deep inside her. He needed a moment to calm himself down, or things were going to get very heavy, very fast. He didn't want to make love to Bella with the restriction of her father being in the house and worrying about a wolf at her window. Not to mention things were probably moving way too fast for her as a human, and at her age. Great. Just feakin perfect- now he felt like an old man. An old, dirty vampire man. It was like there were two sides of him: One that wanted her and the other who also wanted her but knew wanting her wasn't what he should want. He wanted her, but he also wanted to keep her safe from his world. It was all want all the time and it made his head spin. It made him sound insane, too.

"No doubt about it little human. But not like this. Not here while your father sleeps fifteen feet down the hall and while I have to keep an eye out for the wolf." He got close enough to her to feel the heat rising off her soft, sweet smelling skin. "When we- IF we do that, I want to take my time and give you everything I have. All my thoughts, all my.. . I just think it's best if we slow our roll. Okay with you?" There was that word want again. _Want._

Bella looked very much like the little girl who didn't get her ice cream after eating her veggies. But she nodded her head in agreement nontheless. Because even though she hated admitting it, she knew he was right. There was a time and place for everything.

"Fine. But get your vampy butt over here and hold me." She said with confidence only to add in a small voice, "Okay?" Looking all shy again.

"Anything for you little human." As Edward willed her lights off, he climbed into that small bed with his girl. _His_ little human whom he would lay down his worthless immortal life for. And as he took her in his arms again, it felt right. If he thought kissing his beloved had been the highlight of his existince than holding her while she slept had been every wish and dream he dare not ask for aloud.

Bella awoke to Charlie going down the stairs and to an empty bed. The former she ignored, the latter she frowned at. Sitting up she looked around the room. The grey light outside let her know it was a typical day in Forks- rainy. But the fact that Edward wasn't there made it seem gloomier than any rain cloud could. As she reached over to the pillow Edward had laid upon, her hand ran over some paper. A note in what she could only assume was his small, messy script.

_Good Morning Little human, Didn't want to leave the warmth of having you in my arms, but I thought I better get going before Charlie found me just hanging out. Didn't feel like getting shot today. It's almost sunrise and even in Forks, a man can't chance it- it's best to leave not extra crispy. I have some business to see to today. However, my cell is always on and waiting for your call. I will be seeing you later. Just pretend I was there when you woke up to greet your eyelids with a kiss, to tell you how much last night kicked ass!_

_Be in touch soon- E_

Landing onto her back Bella kicked her legs and smiled so hard, and so big her cheeks hurt. Today she was going to do something she rarely did, but often wanted to do: Skip classes and go shopping. Her Dad was more than likely to find out, but she could handle him if she used the old standby of 'Girl trouble' Anytime it was that time of the month she was convinced her father would have allowed her to get away with anything provided he didn't have to know about her monthy visitor. But now came the problem she was faced with most- A means of transportation. Maybe Mrs. Bradley down the road would allow Bella the use of her car. It was worth a shot.

As she took her shower, Bella went over last night's dream and the afterwards. She thought of how sweet it was for Edward to create such a realm for her. Like a meeting place that she would have never found otherwise. He brought out her inner child and gave her a feeling of freedom she didn't have without him. With Edward she felt her burden lighten. Almost as if he helped sooth her soul in a way she didn't know it needed to be soothed. It was like not knowing you were straving until you smelled food being prepared. He had made it all seem magical. He also allowed Bella to take over and have full control even though she got the impression Edward could have had her doing anything he wanted.

Stepping out of the shower Bella looked at her naked self in the bathroom mirror. She was happy with the way she looked. She had always worked out to stay fit, not skinny. To her, there was a big difference between the two. She liked her long dark hair, her legs were toned and she had full breasts and smooth skin. Her facial features she got from her mother, much to her father's joy. With her small nose, full pink lips and straight, tiny white teeth Bella looked like a carbon copy of her Mom. She wondered if her Mother truly was watching over her, would she be proud of the person Bella was becoming? Then she looked back at the girl looking out at her and hoped Edward would like what he saw when they were together. And she knew in her heart she would be with him soon. Their lives had been thrown together so fast that it seemed only fitting that falling in love with him would hold that course as well. Her only question now was.. what did the vampire feel for her?

Once the car, that smelled faintly of catnip and mint was borrowed from Mrs. Bradley with the promise of picking the old lady up some gossip magazines and some snickers candy bars, Bella was set to go shopping.

She knew better than to try lunch at the diner- Bella was more likely to run into her father there than down at the station. So after a good shopping trip, she headed down to a small coffee and sandwich shop not too far from the boardwalk in Port Angeles. After paying for a blueberry muffin and a lemonade, Bella walked back to the sliver boat as she called it. Mrs. Bradley's car was a Cadillac Coupe DeVille and it was most assuredly a boat of a car. Why was it the older and smaller the elderly got, the larger the cars they drove?

"Well, well look who it is. Bella Swan out and about."

Bella stopped and looked across the street coming straight for her was none other than Paul Krowe with.. shit he had Claire on his arm. Good thing Seth wasn't here to witness the couply way they held hands.

"Paul. Hey Claire. What are you guys doing here?" Obviously Paul was older and had already graduated, but Claire hadn't.

"I could ask you the same thing. Are you being a naughty girl and cutting class, Bella? Tsk tsk. Something tells me Chief wouldn't like his little angel breaking the rules. Again." The way Paul spoke made Bella feel like she needed a hot shower and a lot of soap. Good looking or not the guy was scum. One step up from pimp with the way he looked a women.

"I could ask you the same since Claire is in school as well." Beat that asshole. Thought Bella.

"I'm just taking Claire Bear here for a little off campus lunch." He looked Bella up and down while kissing Claire's cheek. God, the guy was a total jerk.

"Funny that, because I didn't think we were allowed any off campus lunch. Next time I'm in Mr. Greene's office," Which Bella knew was often. "I'll be sure to ask." She tried to side step them, but Paul got in her way.

"So Bella, while I have you here, tell me how the dare went. I gotta be honest Swan I didn't think you had it in you to actually go into that house much less spend some time in it. Seth said you were forced out when the storm came. Why is that?" He stepped in closer. Doing that whole stare the person down thing. "What happened Bella? You get scared of a little rain and lightning? Or was it the howling wind?" His laugh was full of cruel teasing.

"I'm surprised you didn't come out sooner to rub it in my face, Krowe. What have _you_ been doing?" Bella got right in the boy's face. Claire just looked on with shock. Bella knew Paul outweighed her by a lot and jeez was he a big one, but something about him always without fail rubbed Bella the wrong way and she felt herself going over the edge everytime the guy was near. They were like two Pitbulls in a fight- neither one going to back down. Everytime they fought the air would be charged with the emotions coming off them. For Bella, she hated it and would love nothing more than to walk away and never deal with him again. But Paul seemed to feed off of her anger and hate. The guy was a loose cannon.

"For your information, no I wasn't around. I was out living a life. You know something you don't really have now that Jake is long gone. Tell her Claire how .. fun our night was." He looked over to Claire and then back at Bella. "Why don't I leave you two girls to the gossip while I get the Jeep. Sound good Claire Bear?" He didn't give her the option - having just walked off in what Bella could only assume was the direction they were parked.

Bella turned back to Claire. The red haired girl seemed so small and sweet and so not Paul's type at all. She was as cute as a button and nothing like what Paul normally went after. Something told Bella things were off with this little match up.

"Claire, why do hang out with Paul? The guy is a complete waste of hot air."

"Paul is a great guy. He is funny, sweet and sexy. All the things a _smart_ girl looks for. I am lucky to have found him." Creepy thing was not just the way Claire said this, like she had practiced the lines, but the far off look of emptiness in her eyes and her voice made Bella worry about the girl. Something was really wrong here.

"Claire, did something happen? You know you can talk to me if Paul isn't .. nice to you." If he hurt her or forced himself on her, Bella would end up running him over with Mrs. Bradley's Caddy. That was all Bella needed right now was her father to arrest her for vehicular manslaughter.

"Claire, let's go. Now!" There he sat in his sweet ride. The tattoos on his muscular arms showing. Okley sunglasses on, short, spiky black hair. A wicked grin on his handsome face. Paul Krowe in all his nasty glory. Bella couldn't be sure with the sunglasses in place, but she felt his eyes on her. Just this sickening feeling of being touched by someone you hated. Again the need to grab a bar of soap and wash her skin until it was raw came over her.

"Claire, you can always call me, okay? And Seth as well. I know he cares for you." Something flashed across Claire's face, but just as fast as it came it was gone. Replaced by a blank-I'm-so-buzzed-and-loving-it look. "I don't know what you're talking about. Paul is all the man I need. Bye!" She watched as Claire ran and jumped in. Paul's Jeep drove off and out of sight. She just hoped Claire would snap out of it before something bad happened.

Bella's cell beeped alerting her to an incoming text. Looking down she felt the tension drain from her. She felt the frown she had been sporting because of Paul and Claire melt away and a smile found its way to her face.

**Can I cook u dinner tonite? - E**

Bella had to stop herself from squealing and doing her happy dance all over the sidewalk- which consisted of a lot of jerking movements that would have everyone thinking she was mentally ill.

**I didn't know you could cook! I would luv that. What time and where? -B**

**Real men cook. 7:00 My place. I can pick you up. -E**

_Oh, no you don't undead hottie_, Thought Bella. If Edward picked her up for dinner tonight her father would want to meet him. And if her father met with Edward the night would end up on such a level of sucking that no amount of vampire loving could fix. Well, maybe there was some amount, After all Edward was an amaaaazing kisser from what Bella could tell. She got lost in the image of kissing him on a big bed all alone with no interruptions.. her phone beeped again.

**Little human? You still alive over there? -E**

**More than you are. -B**

**Cute. -E**

**Give me the address and I will come to you -B** Oh Lord, she hoped he didn't use that wording against her.

**That a promise little human? -E**

**Just give me the address lol -B**

As he gave her the numbers and code to tell security, Bella paniced. This felt so.. date-like and grown up. Was she ready for this, for the idea of getting closer to someone like Edward? A vampire who seemed very well versed in all things sexual? Bella had lost her virginity to Alex Collins last year after they had been dating for a month. She was sad to say she treated it almost like a dare: Get it over with and move on, then she could be proud to have lived through it. Yeah, there weren't any romantic feelings involved. Jake almost beat the holy hell out of Alex when he found out. It had been an embarrassment and a mess. Unlike now which was just a mess.. Bella was sure the embarrassment part would come later when she did something stupid around the undead hottie. But she would have to get a ride to Seattle before she even could hope of embarrassing herself. Or not, as hopefully the case would be. A ride, a ride. She knew she needed to get this old boat of a car back to Mrs. Bradley with her Star magazine, InTouch Weekly and a lifetime supply of Snickers bars. The old lady was going to be filled to the brim with junk! Back to the ride problem.. Smiling she knew just who she could call.

"Hello my handsome, smart, sweet, funny friend!" Bella's voice was way too cheerful.

"You want something." Seth's voice was always deep and on the verge of raspy like he had a cold. But it would have been sexy to any other girl. Bella was too close to Seth in a brotherly way to think of him as sexy. But she could admit the boy was a hot peice of work. Claire was really missing out.

"Now what makes you say that? Can't a girl just call up one of her best buddies without wanting something?

"No. Now spill." Bella could hear a bell ring in the background. Right, school. Must suck to be there..

Giving up and feeling like shit for it, Bella told Seth what she wanted to do. He agreed like Bella knew he would because Seth Clearwater had always been there for her- especially after Jake walked.

"So, here we are again. Me helping bust you out to do something your Dad wouldn't want you to do. If the Chief ever finds out I'm the Clyde to your Bonnie, my ass is kicked." She heard him take a deep breath before saying, "What time do I pick you up?"

"Thank you, thank you Seth. I owe you like a lifetime of servitude."

"Yeah, sure. I'm the man. Either that or I'm a dumb fuck for doing this." They worked out the plans and hung up.

Now came the hard part of finding something to wear. What to wear to have dinner with your vampire crush at his no doubt posh place? Somehow Bella felt jeans and a pullover wouldn't do. But on the other hand it was far too cold for a dress or skirt. And as if right on cue, like he could read her mind, a text from the vampire came through.

**Jeans and boots little human. I want you dressed warmly. See you soon -E**

He was good. He was really, really good and that made Bella very, very nervous. Even though Edward was turned while still a teenager, he was a man. He looked like a man and moved with confidence. He was like water: Smooth and cool and powerful. Bella decided she would go for dressy-casual in her look. Pulling on her AG dark wash skinny jeans with a dark blue Azeeza shirt and her knock off Jimmy Choo leather boots. She felt sexy, but that was because under those clothes was her new purple and black lace bra and panty set. Her power panties as she called them. She left her hair down because Edward seemed to always find a way to touch the long strains and she figured he must like the feel of it. The sound of the front door opening set her into a panic. It was too early for her Dad! What the hell was he doing home before she had the chance to leave a note and not be bothered with telling the truth to his face. Shit.

Going down the stairs she spotted Charlie grabbing a 12 pack of beer from the fridge.

"Pop? What are you doing home so early?" Looking over at the clock on the oven that read 4:00.

"Hey Bells, looking good kid. It's game night at Billy's. I think you're a little over dressed. We have to be there in thirty so you ready?"

This was the thing about her Dad that always drove Bella crazy- the man would just make a plan and forget to clue anyone in!

"Dad, you never told me about tonight. I'm sorry, but I made plans with Seth to go to See a movie. Is it alright if I skip out on game night?"

Charlie looked at Bella- Her hair brushed out and make-up on. Nice clothes and a smile on her face Charlie hadn't seen in a very long time. A gentle tug at his heart had Chief Swan being more single Dad and less small town cop. "Sure kid. But I want you home by 11:30 it's a school night. And make sure Seth follows all traffic laws." Picking up his case of beer Charlie kissed his daughter on the cheek and headed out.

"Wow. I can't believe how easy that was." Bella spoke to the now empty house.

"Bells, if you fuck with my tunes one more time I'm going to have to pull over and let you hoof it the rest of the way to Seattle. I swear girl you're jumpier than a whore in church. What's crackin in your mellon?" Seth had tried to roll down the window to light up a cig only to have Bella whine about the smoke making her hair stink. That was just swell wasn't it. Driving all the way to Seattle for no reason other than being a good friend and what does a guy get for his trouble? His radio messed with and a no-smoking-zone slapped on his own truck.

"I'm sorry. I'm just nervous." Bella said and then went back to biting the inside of her cheek.

"Is there any more going on? I mean, you know you can come to me and tell me things. I'm always here for ya, B." Seth's held a protective brotherly love that made Bella feel safe and secure within the cab of that beat up truck.

"Thank you for always being here for me." She debated in her mind to bring up seeing Claire. And decided against it. If Claire had been alone, sure. No problem with telling Seth she had seen and talked with his crush. But add in Paul's name and she knew his night would be shot to hell. So Bella stayed zipped on all things Claire and talked to Seth about other things. One of which was Seth's every growing obsession with the Marvel comics and the movies coming out soon. It helped ease her mind and pass the time to hear the passion behind his obsession. As a faithful Marvel fan Seth laid down the rules and what he hoped didn't get fucked with in the film adaptations of those beloved heros.

"So, uh, Bells? Something you want to share with me about who you're here to see?" Looking out the truck's window at the very tall, very nice building, Seth's truck seemed to be an eyesore of the greatest significance. Oh what had she gotten herself into? Bella pondered on that while trying to figure out how to answer Seth.

'Well, you know that friend who gave me the ride from the old Masen house? This is where he lives." Or doesn't live in as the case may be..

"Bella, are you dating an older man? Because sure as hell no one our age has a pad like this."

"He might be.. slightly older." It wasn't a full on lie but it wasn't the whole truth either. Ah, to walk the inbetween.

"An older man. Bella is he married? Are you sleeping with a married old dude? Your father is going to shoot someone!" Seth knew Charlie well.

"Will you shut up! He isn't married and he isn't much older than I am. He just .. comes from a wealthy family." Another truth bender.

"Just promise me you're being smart and shit? If I have to, I will break this old guy's door down to get to you."

"Seth, you're a wonderful friend and I love you for your caring, but I got this. Edward is an amazing man and I am safe with him." She put her hand on the door, opening it, cold air biting hard.

"Edward? What kind of name is that? He must come from money if his parents named him such a pretentious name like _Edward_." Laughed Seth.

"Oh, piss off. And thanks again for the ride." Bella reached over to kiss his cheek.

"You want me to hang around just in case?" He was still eyeing the building.

"No. I promise I'm okay."

"Okay. Call me if you need me." Seth took one last look at the building that looked as if its floors went all the way to Heaven.

So the security Edward spoke of was leading Bella up to the 27th floor. The Penthouse._ ._ Bella almost swallowed her tongue when the Security guy, Bill, said that he was the head of Mr. Cullen's personal security and he would be happy to lead her to the 27th floor.. 27 floors up. The lift was all glass, steel and marble. If she hadn't been nervous before, the trip up and then the lift opening up to a long hallway full of mirrors, glass and marble, would do the trick. Fact check time: Edward Cullen had more money than Bella could ever comprehend. Fact two: Bella was afraid she was going to throw up all over his black marble floors. Bill lead Bella to a set of double doors at the end of the hallway. A security pad was next to the right of the doors, with red and green lights flashing away. Before Bill could punch in a code, the doors unlocked and opened. There stood Edward Cullen in Ralph Lauren cole wash jeans that had rips in them and that fit him.. beautifully. And God save the Queen, he had on a tight black t-shirt- Showing off his toned, pale arms. He was sin personified. His smile told he knew just what Bella was thinking. Bella bit the inside of her cheek. Hard.

"Thank you, Bill. I will take it from here." He shook the man's hand. Then turned back to Bella. His eyes roamed over her. Unlike when ass Paul did it, Edward looking at her made her feel hot with need and want and.. yeah she wanted to jump his bones.

"Welcome little human. Come in. Dinner will be ready soon." Just as he said that the most wonderful smell filled the hallway. as Bella walked past him, he stopped her by putting his arm out in front of her face. Leaning down to kiss the side of her head, Edward whispered, "You look breath-taking. And you smell even better."

Yup. Bella was sure she would end up embarrassing herself before the night was through. But looking at the way Edward's ass looked in those jeans, it was so worth it!

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**A/N Next chapter isn't far off at all.. and it will be filled with yummy things! Keep a look out for it to be posted soon! Love to you all :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Meyer owns Twilight. I own this plot!**

**This chapter is where the 'Sexual Content' part comes into play **

**If that is not your thing, you can skip those parts- you won't miss much plot. **

**You will just miss romance, undead hottie and his abs of steel.. I digress.**

**Song(s) for chapter: "Need you tonight" & "Never tear us apart" by INXS & "Rebel Yell" Cover by HIM**

* * *

**-The Dare-**  
**Chapter Twelve**

Bella stepped into Edward's Penthouse suite and was blown away. She knew he wasn't showing off. Nor was he trying to prove to be some hotshot, but still you couldn't look at the art on the walls, the marble floors that lead to dark cherry hardwood floors that ran throughout the space, that panoramic view of Seattle, and not be impressed. The home almost matched its owner in splendor.

"I hope you like mushrooms. I didn't think to ask beforehand. I know some people don't like them, or even worse, some are allergic.. shit, are you?" He spun around so fast Bella took a step back and was about to fall. Edward reached out and caught her in his arms. This was all close encounters of the personal kind. Was he as nervous as she was? He was so close that Bella could smell the clean scent coming from his clothes, his hair and skin. That buzzing charge thing was happening again. Everytime they got within five feet of each other that charge in the air was felt. It was like they were creating their own power grid. Enough sparks between them to start their own damn solar system.

Bella did her best to control the desire to attack him with her lips. "I love mushrooms." And would love them even more now. But she needn't say that.

"I made Prosciutto and Mushroom Ravioli, a Greek salad, Andouille cheese bread, and for desert we have Lemon cheesecake." He said this all like he was distracted.. by Bella's mouth. He looked like a starving man- and not one that was hungry for the heavenly dishes he just spoke of. No, this man had a hunger that was about all things Bella. Baser instincts indeed.

Bella tore herself away from his penetrating stare and went over in her mind what he had just said. God, it sounded like he prepared a feast for them! "That sounds amazing. You didn't have to go to all that trouble."

Letting go of her, he brought her hand up to his lips, brushing her knuckles with a soft kiss. "It was no trouble. I just hope it tastes good." After his lips made contact with Bella's skin he took the time to lick his lips as if searching for a taste of her on him. Oh. Lord. "Something tells me it will be.." He turned and left a weak-kneed Bella to follow after him.

The kitchen was like something out of a home style magazine: Stainless steel, black granite counter tops, and dark cherry wood cabinetry all gave off a very polished, regal feel. Top of the line everything in this place. Hell, even the icebox was bigger than Bella's whole bathroom at home. She was then struck with embarrassment at that point, though not from anything she had done- yet. More from the fact Edward has seen with his own eyes the house Bella lived it. That house was more or less just a shack next to this penthouse. Not that Edward seemed like a person who would care about such trivial things as that. It was still concerning to know just how different they really were. Being the daughter of a small town cop didn't offer too much in the way of having the latest, coolest of anything. Saving birthday, holiday and baby sitting money was basically the only way Bella could ever afford the clothing she bought.

Edward reached over to turn off the music, the sounds of Rebel Yell cut to the sounds of dinner cooking. He crooked his finger at Bella silently asking for her to come to him. Someone must have placed lead weights in her shoes by the time she got to Edward's because at that moment every step felt heavy and slow. Edward was standing over a pot of something that made her stomach spasm with hunger. Bringing up a spoon, he blew on the sauce to cool it for her, then brought it closer for her to taste. Bella might have played it up a bit while doing the taste testing thing- just opening her mouth slowly, closing her eyes when the deliciousness hit her tongue. She may have even moaned some, but that part wasn't planned- the sauce was just that good. And when she opened her eyes, Bella saw she was most successful in her campaign to turn him on. Edward's eyes were like green lava. When Bella licked her lips, he tracked the movements. She expected him to pull back and return to his sauce. What she got was his large hands grabbing at her hips and pulling her to him for a kiss that should have set the smoke alarms off. He tasted the sauce on her tongue and growled low and deep in his chest. That growl sent chills through Bella. _That_ growl was a leathal weapon. God, she hoped he used his powers for good!

"You and this sauce taste insanly good together." He said in a low, gritty voice while looking at her lips and licking his own. "We should market it- we'd make a fortune." He kissed down her cheek toward her neck. One love bite on her throat later, he was dishing up the food as Bella held on to the counter to make sure she stayed vertical.. Well, vertical for now.

"This is un-freakin-believable. You should open your own restaurant!" Bella tried not to let her eyes close again, or moan. She wanted them to finish the food he had worked so hard to prepare. "For a vampire you know your food." She smiled as he laughed and winked at her.

"Well, it helps to have someone to cook for. Like I've said, vamps don't have to eat, but that doesn't stop us from enjoying all life's pleasures. And I think tasting amazing foods and wines that you prepare for those you care about most.. can bring a lot of pleasure." He leaned in closer to her, " You letting me feed you, letting me see that _I_ can fill the needs_ you_ have, that is one of the greatest pleasures I've ever known." Bella may have swallowed a mushroom whole at that point. She also had to look away from him because the words 'pleasure' and 'needs' were too much in one sentence.

She had thought they would be dining at the really cool table in the formal dining room. After all the table itself was a work of art: Twisted steel, frosted glass that changed colors depending on tempature and mood of person. And with those Zuo Tufted dining chairs in black and sliver, it made for a very nice place to park it and chow down. But Edward had surprised her yet again as he had set up a multitude of pillows right on the floor near the fireplace so they could look out over the twinkling lights of Seattle & the harbor beyond while eating.

**X**

"Will you tell me some more about your family?"

"Like what? You want the back story on how we ended up together? The Addam's Family: 'Vampire Edition.'" Edward's laugh was all male: Deep, strong and made his neck muscles flex when he did it.

"Yeah, something like that." Bella smiled before taking a bite of the homemade bread.. heaven. Complete Heaven. He really needed to open that restaurant and let her be the taste tester!

"Carlisle met Esme at a hospital he worked at in Columbus, Ohio back in 1942. Esme came from a very wealthy family and at the age of 21 she met at a church function and instantly fell in love with a local farm boy who her family never would have allowed her to be with. They would have sooner disowned her than allowed 'Blue blood' to mingle with the likes of some farmer's son. They had set her up with the son of a business partner of her father's. Some up and coming bigshot, a real aristocrat. Esme was heart broken to have to be with someone out of some kind of twisted family loyalty instead of marrying for love. But the ties that bind had her roped good. She became engaged to Walter Hemmingsworth. Once Walter had secured her hand, the courting and wooing seemed to have stopped all together, and the abusive words started, followed then by a possesivness that took Esme by surprise."

Edward took a sip of his wine, shaking his head before continuing.

"One night on a walk Walter made the mistake of hitting Esme across the cheek infront of the farmhouse of that boy. Poor Walter didn't know what hit him as good old Phil Markson came out of nowhere and beat the living hell out of the rich bastard. Blue blood didn't stand a chance against someone who pitched hay all day everyday- a real salt of the earth, meat and potatoes kind of guy. The only thing old Walter had ever lifted in his life was a bell to ring for the servents. Phil almost beat him to death. But because of Esme, the look on her face, he backed off. Just before he turned to go, he went to her, to Esme, to make sure she was alright. Walter had a surprise for them both: He was packing heat- he pulled out his Colt 1911 and shot Phil in the chest killing him instantly. Esme, you could imagine, was devastated, inconsolable. Walter was not only an evil SOB, but a coward for shooting a man when his back was turned. The whole town stuck their noses out to see what happened. Of course no one would believe Walter Hemmingsworth of being able to shoot a boy in cold blood. So they over looked Esme's heartbreak and statements that Walter had in fact shot to kill with no probable cause, and the wound in Phil Markson's chest was looked over because it was just what he deserved. They said it was just a case of unrequited love gone wrong and Walter was only protecting his girl. The rich bastard walked away free as a bird."

"Poor Esme. How did she meet Carlise if she was to marry Walter?"

"After they laid Phil to rest, Esme's depression spun out of control. One cold Sunday morning she overdosed on some sleeping pills her mother insisted she take due to the dark circles under her eyes. Couldn't have her daughter looking guant and unrested at Sunday Socials, what would the town say? The fuckers practically gave Esme the map she needed to find death's door. She proved unsucsessful in her goal of ending her life, though, because her mother wouldn't leave her side for long- there was wedding to plan after all! They rushed her to the Hospital, or I should say, quietly took her, they wanted it all to remain hush, hush. Carlisle who had been a vampire for a number of years at that point, was the doctor on call that day. When Esme came into his Hospital, it was love at first sight for him. He could sense the pain and suffering within her slow beating heart, and he knew left to her own devices, she would try and try again to end her life until one day she would hit paydirt. She spoke to him one night after a bad nightmare about her life, about Phil. About the expectations from her family who cared nothing for their own child's happiness. She told him about Walter. She also told him if she didn't die now, Walter would just beat her until she did later on after she had bore him children.. more people to bully and hurt. And so she wanted to go on her terms, not his. Carlisle felt such a deep hurt at the thought of her no longer walking the earth that in his weakness he told her everything about himself. He said it was selfish on his part to tell her about what he was and how he lived his life. I think in the begining the only reason Esme agreed to the change was for revenge."

"Revenge?"

"On Walter. She said if she couldn't trust the system to punish him for his crimes, then she would do it. Oh, and did she ever. From what I heard from Carl, Esme made Walter Hemmingsworth shit himself stupid before he met his maker."

"Good for her." Bella didn't really agree with violent acts, but sometimes an eye for an eye was the only way to go. Sometimes revenge had its place in life.

"Not too long after that Carlise and Esme mated. Once a vampire falls in love.. it's pretty much a done deal.. Irrivocalble." Edward rubbed the back of his neck looking around the Penthouse avoiding meeting Bella's eyes. Picking up their plates, walking toward the kitchen he called out over his shoulder, "You ready for that cheesecake?"

Well, that was an odd reaction. Bella narrowed her eyes at the path to the kitchen. She wasn't about to let him off the hook that easily. Getting up, she went to follow him.

"You haven't told me much about your sisters." Bella said as she came into sight. Edward was pulling the cheesecake from the subzero and it looked mouthwatering. Then again, so did the person who made it.

"Alice and Rose are .. well, you'll never meet anyone else like them." His smile was full of fondness. A gentle brotherly love.

"And what of their mates?"

Stopping for a second his voice took on a careful tone. "Alice is better at telling this story, but I'll try my best to do it justice." He put a yummy looking slice of the cheesecake on a plate and let it slide home- right in front of Bella. The crust was a golden brown and the cheesecake part was a light yellow. It smelled light and clean and perfect. Biting into it, her eyes rolled back. Then she blushed like a fool when she realized she had been caught. Edward was just staring at her.

"Sorry. It's really good. Please, go on."

"Little human, you're going to be the death of me." Shaking his head, Edward pulled up a bar stool next Bella and parked it. "Alice's backstory is a long and complicated one. But suffice to say Alice went through hell before she became one of the undead. She was turned away from her family because they believed her to be a witch. Alice was born in Billoxi, Mississippi back in 1901. She had always had a connection to the world and those who lived in it and those who dwelled inbetween."

"As in.. ?" Bella frowned.

"Ghosts. Alice from a young age could commune with the dead."

Bella had a flash of Whoopi Goldberg from the movie Ghost. Somehow she didn't think Alice was anything like Oda Mae Brown..

"And when her powers started to make themselves known, her parents called upon the family priest to perform an exorcism on Alice. They believed once they did this, the 'evil' would leave her. They didn't understand anything about what was really going on. Alice had gifts- even as a human she was powerful. It was no more her fault than it is that her hair is black-it's just the way she was born. After a long and grueling visit the Father deemed her clean and left.. with a very generous offering to the Church. Alice tried to hide her true self after that. She was afraid of what her family would do. It was the south after all and the times.. let's just say those who were considered different lived a very hard life.. if they lived at all."

"Wasn't she freaked out about pulling a Sixth Sense? Seeing dead people and all that?"

"No, she said it was more of a sad thing for her. The ones that came to her had lost their way. They weren't violent or angry. Just.. lost and lonely. Resolved. Alice has a very different outlook on life- maybe because she sees so much death it shows a side of life the rest of us don't understand. But the day her Father found out she still had 'evil' in her, she ran away before they could catch her. She ran to an old cave she used to play in as a child, hoping there she could find rest until she figured out where to go and what to do. In the middle of the night they came for her. One of her former playmates from her childhood knew about the cave and told them. They came with their torches and hate. They sent Alice to a 'clinic' but really it was an asylum under the control of a doctor by the name of James Huntington. He was reasearching what he said was Paranormal activity. Really the bastard was doing shock treatments on poor girls just like Alice who were special. He was deraged and evil. He was a vampire who wanted to use these girls to build his own army of undead. He fell into an obsession with Alice as soon as she arrived. There was another prisoner there by the name of Rosalie Hale who had the abilty to harness a fire element. Rose was planning a jailbreak and when Alice arrived she knew she could get her out as well. Most of the other girls had been there too long and had become what they were orignally brought in for: Mentally insane. Alice became teachers pet so Rose knew she had to work fast or there would be no hope for anyone."

"It sounds like a horror movie."

"One night Rose came to Alice and they devised a plan of escape. Alice knew she was the key to the success of this because of James' lust for her. They used that lust against him but what Alice didn't realize was James had turned Rose when she first arrived at the God forsaken place. So as Rose went all fangs 'n growl on James, Alice stood there shocked. He grabbed Alice and used her as a hostage so Rose couldn't kill him. Rosalie and Alice had grown very close and he knew this and used it back on them. Just as he was almost home free and about to run, he bit Alice and forced his blood into her. Rose took him down, but not before he turned little Alice into the thing Rose never wanted her best friend to be: A vampire. Just like her. After Alice came back from the burning, she and Rose helped those who were left and then together they watched as Rose burned that fucking hell hole clinic to the ground while James' body screamed out against a vampire's worst end. When they looked down they were holding hands, Alice looked into Rose's eyes to see that her best friend looked back with a lover's adoration. Suddenly something clicked for both of them. They found those missing pieces within themselves. They've been together ever since. Letting go of the darkness from the past by finding light in one another's arms." Edward smiled as he thought about the two sisters who were perfectly mated.

"Wow. That is .. . I can't believe the terrible things that they went through, but the love story behind it is truly beautiful."

"My family isn't normal- even by vampire standards because of the pain of our pasts." Edward looked down like he was worried this would change things between them. _What a silly undead hottie_, thought Bella.

Placing her hand on his chin, she was the one to lift his gaze to hers this time. This was her turn to pull him out of the shadows of the past. "I would never think you are less than because of you or your family's past. On the contrary, I find you _more_ because you survived it and made a family from the ashes that the flames of hell itself covered you in . You are more than I ever knew to ask for. All I want is you." The air crackled between them once more. The only sounds from their breathing and Bella's heart beat. No words were said, or if they were it was without voices.

Edward stood up, Bella's brown eyes following the smooth, effortless motions he made. He placed his hands on her hips and with ease, as if she weighed nothing, he picked Bella up. Neither broke eye contact. Her arms went around his neck, her legs around his waist. Bella's bangs fell in her eyes and with one hand he reached up and brushed them back. "There's my beautiful girl." His voice was soft and quiet. He carried Bella over to the pillows they had eaten on. The fire's flames danced, sending shadows to play on their faces and the room around them. Edward willed the other lights throughout the Penthouse to go out. Letting the fire's light guide him, he ever so gently lay her down. There he looked at the girl lying under him- her hair fanned out like a goddess from a painting depicting Greek Mythology.

"You are so beautiful. If I do live to see this world's end, nothing will ever come close to the beauty before me now." Slowly he leaned down to touch his lips to Bella's. A fire in her belly roared to life. This was happening. Finally she was going to know what it felt like to be owned by Edward in body, heart and mind. Surely he knew he had her. Surely he knew that for her, nothing would ever compare to him.

Against parted lips he spoke to her in a lover's plea. "Tell me to stop and I will. Tell me to adore you and I will. Tell me to go to Hell and back, I would. Tell what you want and I will give it to you." Edward's voice was rough and full of his desire for her. A dark spice in his words, a passion on the brink of being unleashed. Vampires were known for their loyalty to their mates and family, however, it went beyond that with Edward. She was his end, begining and all the in-betweens. He wanted to laugh because he thought he had been putting up a good fight blocking his feelings. Turned out he was just being an ass.

Leaning up to pull on his bottom lip with her teeth Bella let go of her shyness and was free. "I want you inside me now. I want to feel you move. Take me, mark me for yours." With a growl he did just that. He was a man on fire in the best possible way. No one or nothing on God's earth could have kept him from her now. He would have walked through the fires of Hell to keep her safe and warm and loved.

**X**

Starting with her boots, pulling them off one by one they got tossed to the floor by the glass door. Next he moved up her legs slowly with his hands-Feeling the muscle and curves as he went. Coming to Bella's hips feeling her in his hands gave him a sense of power- he alone was touching her and would be making her feel good. Looking up into her flushed face silently asking for permission to take things futher as his need to take care of her soared. Her nod was all he needed. His face was so focused on the task at hand he didn't notice Bella as she watched him with hopeful, bright eyes. She felt the zipper of her pants open and the jeans slowly get pulled down. She could feel the warmth from the fire on her skin but more so she could feel the fire of Edward's gaze upon her flesh as it was revealed to him. He left no part of her bare legs untouched. Gentle swipes and kisses to the tops of her thighs and then as the jeans were gone, on his way back up her body, the inside of her thighs he trailed a soft caress with his fingers. When he got to her panties he fingered the lace and black bow on the front, and kissed right below it. Like it was the most amazing thing he had ever seen.

Looking up under his thick lashes, his smirk told of the wickedly wonderful things he was thinking about. Running a finger just under the tip of the satin panties from hip bone to hip bone his asked, "Little human, did you wear these just for me?" As Bella bit her bottom lip she nodded like a little girl about to get scolded. The mischief in her eyes allowed Edward the go ahead to tease her some. "Was the human planning on seducing the vampire?" This time Bella just lifted her shoulders. Edward paused for a moment to think on that. Catching her eye he said, "Thank Christ." And he moved up to her lips. Their tongues twisted together, tasting one another. One of Edward's hands went to Bella's head to play with a strand of her hair while the other went lower. To the bottom of her shirt low. Bella didn't want to wait for him so she nodded her head as they continued to kiss. This made Edward chuckle at her impatience

Rubbing her nose with his he brought his hand up under the hem of her shirt. Making zig zag patterns over her flat belly when he came to the bottom of her satin and lace bra, he allowed his hand to flatten out over her breast bone. Her heart could be felt beating hard and fast under her smooth skin. Edward was hit suddenly with the need to see her in the firelight.

"May I see you?" He knew Bella would know he didn't just mean in her bra.

"Yes." No sweeter words had ever been spoken, he thought.

As he lifted her head up with the tenderness of a lover, the shirt was given over to the same fate as the boots and jeans: On the floor by the door. The sight before him left the vampire dumbfounded. How had something so divine ever come to him? This must be a trick of some dark magic. Could she really be meant for him. Bella's fair skin was like a canvas and the under garments she wore was the paint left by a Master Artist who knew what he was doing. Only it wasn't the paint and brush strokes that made the canvas so beautiful. No, the canvas itself was the glory and the paint was merely an added bonus. The flames that flickered from the fire made the satin shine. Bella's dark hair and deep brown eyes were like an ocean he wanted to dive into.

Edward found that whatever his eyes landed on so did his hands. He caressed her face, neck, and chest. He drew circles around her bellybutton.

"Will you let me see you. I want your skin against mine." She said as her hands reached for the hem of Edward's black t-shirt. As he started to pull it over his head, Bella stopped him. He gave her a questioning look.

"Edward, please stop trying to take your clothes off." Bella sat up and reached out for him again.

"You want to do that part little human?"

"Sweet Lord yes!." They both laughed as Bella did her thing- throwing the tee with her clothes. When she looked up at him before her on his knees, she was eye level with his belt buckle. And she also got an eye full of that glorious V shape his hips made - his jeans were hanging perfectly under those muscles like they were as proud as hell and wanted to showcase the goodness above. _Good jeans_! Thought Bella. His abs where even more definded thanks to the strong orange glow coming from the fire place. How in God's name was she going to touch him without squeaking like a mouse?

As if he read her mind, Edward said, "Touch me." The shaking of his voice touched Bella's heart and gave her the courage to take over for a while.

Bella felt every dip in his body as she let her shaking hands travel over smooth, hard skin. His muscles tightening, flexing with every move her small fingers made. It was like Edward's body was cut out of marble. The shape his narrow hips took, up past wash board abs and to pectoral muscles that any girl would want to lay her head upon. His arms were strong and toned- muscles clearly showing- but he wasn't too big like a body builder. The veins in his arms ran down to the hands that she wanted on her 'til the end of time. His scent was stronger now and when she placed her hand over where his heart was, she knew she would never love anyone else like this. She knew it was right and that all the worries like the whys, hows, and whens didn't matter. The troubles and the world they left behind meant nothing without him.

Softly speaking Bella gave the word. "Make me yours."

After all the clothing was off and Bella lay on silk pillows and thick soft blankets, Edward took her head in both his hands, to craddle her like she was the most precious thing in his world. That's because she was. The weight of wondering and worrying lifted and Edward gave in to the love he felt... By making love to _his_ Bella. Every thrust was powerful and when he pulled her leg over his hip, driving him deeper within her warmth, they both let out loud moans.

"Edward." She was breathless with the power he showed in every stroke he took. His hips pushing and pulling between hers. Their mouths red and swollen from kissing and biting. The weight of having him on her made Bella feel so safe and protected. Edward was the kind of lover that you dreamed about ending up with: So giving, so powerful and sure. He seemed to anticipate her every need and want. After he had pleasured her with his mouth, he loved her with his cock. Again and again Edward brought Bella over the cliff, going with her everytime. Seemed another attribute of vampirism was that same endurance that gave him unlimited strength and speed also made him a very passionate lover in the bedroom. An able body willing to go all night.

"Does that feel good?" He asked as he picked up his pace. Going from sweet and slow to fast and animalistic. "Do you want to come, Bella?" He asked as he rubbed the small bundle of nerves where they were joined. So intense were the feelings he invoked in her that Bella was holding on to him for dear life. Running her nails down Edward's strong back he let loose a growl so deep she felt it inside her where they were connected.

"Yes! Please, let me come."

"Tell me you're mine." He said in her ear while his thrusts turned to slow, hard, deep motions. "Let me hear you. I want everyone to know who you belong to." And with that he turned his hips hitting new spots in Bella.

"I'm yours! Only ever yours." And as yet another orgasm hit her, Edward took her nipple in his mouth swirling his tongue around and around driving her on once again. Bella yelled out his name while she came- just as he wanted.

"That's it, I can feel you around me. Coming. So fucking hot and wet." And when Bella pushed Edward over onto his back and started to ride him just as hard as he had her, he let out a mighty roar as if the little lamb above the lion gave him something no one else ever had. She fed the hunger he'd been straving from all his life.

**X**

When they lay panting like animals who had fought hard, Edward brought her hand that was on his chest to his lips and kissed each finger. One look into her eyes, the vampire in him knew they were mated, bonded evermore. The man in him knew he was hopelessly in love with his woman and would give his life for her. Looking at her hand in his, how small compared to his, he knew he would never leave her side unless she asked him to.

"Edward?" Her voice made it clear she knew what he was thinking. Moment of truth time wasn't it.

In a language Bella didn't understand, but loved anyway, Edward pledged his life to her. Vowed to be all she needed. In _his_ language he called her his beloved, his soul's light and that he loved her more with every breath she took. But then to balance it as he would always do so he could walk in her world, he spoke it in the tongue she would understand.

"I love you. Nothing could tear me from your side. I am forever yours, eternally."

Tears ran like a river down Bella's flushed cheeks. Her heart so full of love and happiness she didn't know if she could carry it all. Love had turned her into a mushy girl!

"I love you, too. I never want to be parted from you. I want to be with you forever." As they kissed it was as if they sealed their fate.

_Forever_..

As Edward took Bella back home, speeding as per his normal, he held her hand over the console and felt.. alive. He had his mate by his side and he felt a peace inside he never knew before. As they pulled into the Swan's driveway, they noticed Charlie wasn't home yet. Bella told Edward that sometimes that happened after a night of drinking, over-eating and yelling at the T.V. because of bad calls on the ref's part. So they were sure Charlie would come home soon.

"Allow me." Edward said as he went to open Bella's door with lightspeed. Just as she was getting out the wind changed course and blew her hair around. But it also brought with it a scent that had a deep, fierce growl spring forth from Edward's chest. This wasn't like the growl when they had been making love. This growl was a warning to the enemy. It was like the last time he had caught a scent that displeased him.

"Bella, get back in the car and lock the door."

"Edward? What the hell is going on?"

"Bella-" Edward was cut off by someone else

"Bella, stay, please. Tell me.. vampire do you always order her around?" That voice.. it couldn't be. Bella looked over Edward's shoulder to see..

"Paul."

Stepping out from the shadow from the side of the house, Paul Krowe was smiling and his eyes glowed that strange Yellow that sent a flash of memory back to Bella. Back to the night she met her love but also the night she met the wolf.

"Surprise!" Paul said right before he took a running leap at Edward and Bella- Turning into a huge black wolf in mid-air.

* * *

**A/N Yeah, I left it there. More to come! Though it seemed like there was a lot that came *coughs* in this chapter. I wanted to make the love scene more detailed but I got nervous with all the under 18 that could see! Lol Oh, and the lemon cheesecake was in honor of their lemon. I'm a nerd! Did you like it? Hate it? Paul is the wolf.. shocked? Didn't think so. Let me know what you thought! I shall return soon my friends with last chapter/ Epilogue! Love to all :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**If you don't know by now who owns Twilight- Google it! :) **

**I can tell you that I (LondonGoth) own this plot!**

**I'm posting early and the reason is Twofold: One, it was ready and why wait? Two, it's my birthday today and here is my gift to.. you? Lol **

**Last chapter ( Lucky 13!) and all that will be left is the Epilogue.**

**Hope you all enjoy- read on my people!**

**Song for chapter: "Animal I have Become" by Three Days Grace**

**-The Dare-**  
**Chapter thirteen**

Bella watched with wide eyes as the wolf, apparently also known as Paul Krowe, made a bee line for her and Edward. She had almost forgotten how.. big the wolf was. As for her vampire? Bless his heart he stood guard and braced for the impact looking ever the bad ass he was- as there was no time to get Bella in the car Edward was going to defend his human with everything in him. Turning one's back on a werewolf was never a good idea.

It seemed like slow motion everything that went down right before Bella's eyes. Edward tensed up, she saw the lines in his back tighten and his muscles ripple just waiting for his moment. Just before Paul was half way across the distance to them, Edward, in a flash of speed, was racing toward the animal with a growl that should have shaken the ground below them. The force in which both werewolf and vampire hit sounded like two boulders colliding together. Into the shadow of the backyard Edward pushed the wolf. Dirt under the huge paws of the animal got piled up as Paul pushed back. It was no use- Edward had this- He was taking him away from Bella. Putting her as far from the fight and harm as he could get her. Sweet notion, thought Bella but no way was she allowing her man to go through this without her. She wouldn't get in Edward's way but she wasn't riding the bench either. No way she would sit in the car like a good damsel and wait to see who came out from behind the curtain of night. Her money was on the undead hottie- biased or not- but she didn't trust Paul. She knew him too well.

Oh, God. Paul was the wolf! It hit her like a bullet.. _not now Bella! You can freak later_, she thought. Going around the other side of the house she could hear all sorts of things breaking, even see the tops of the trees that lined her backyard swaying like they would in a storm- but it wasn't storming. Then as one tree snapped in half, sounding like a shotgun blast, she heard more growls, grunts and teeth snapping. She came out from around the house to see that Edward had sent Paul flying into the tree and had broken the thing. That had to hurt.

"Why is it I'm always using you as a chainsaw to cut down trees, Lassie?" Edward's tone may have been fun and teasing but his body and eyes told he was all about business. But as Bella came into view he caught her scent and let his eyes drift for one second. One small second was all it took for Paul to lunge at the vampire. Damn it, maybe Bella would do more harm than good here.

She should have yelled out the old 'look out!' However, Bella had never been one to go by the book for anything. So she did what she was known for: Her spontaneity and quick thinking. She knew Paul and knew only one thing would stop him in his tracks- wolf or not, he was still just a male.

"Hey Pauly, look here!" Bella pulled up her shirt and flashed the fuzzy bastard. Like something from a cartoon, Paul went still in mid-air. And in true dog form cocked his head to the side. It would have been laughable if not for the impending doom part..

Edward somehow knew what Bella was doing, but he didn't like it. Going by the growl he let out, he _really, really_ didn't like it. But he used it to tackle the wolf with the full force of his strength. Hitting him head-on he seemed to have knocked the damn thing out, but remained holding the beast down to be sure. Turning his head in her direction he spoke in a low, aggravated voice.

"Really, Bella? _That_ is how you help?"

"What? It worked didn't it? I knew it would. That is soooo like Paul. The pervert!" Bella flipped the dog off.. not that he could see it.

"Yes, Darling, but flashing the goods? Maybe you should just sit the rest out- least we need to let dogboy get another eye full of my woman." And just for spite because the flea bitten shit had looked at his girl's breasts, Edward hit the dog once more.

**X**

Turns out when a werewolf has been knocked-off-his-ass unconscious he reverts back to his human side. There in the Swan's backyard lay Paul Krowe in nothing but a blue tarp over his naked form. Edward growled and kicked the asshole yet again for daring to be naked while Bella was around- or so he said that was the reason. Bella figured he was just looking for ways to lay into the guy. And understandably so, Bella thought.

They ended up tying Paul to one of Chief Swan's kitchen chairs with some chains found in the shed. It wasn't going to hold him for long after he pulled the rise and shine- but Edward was hoping to get what he wanted out of Paul before that ever became an issue.

Edward knew he really needed to move this whole meet and greet somewhere else seeing as how Chief could and probably would be home soon, but easier said than done. Edward could hold his own against the pup but he wasn't risking Bella anywhere near the dog while on the move to a private locale to get Paul to talk. Answers. The vampire needed answers and one way or another he would be getting them.

A splash of ice cold water to the face as a wake up call would place any man in the pissed off for life section- A werewolf who was bested by a vampire? And worse, the vampire who had what said werewolf wanted- in every sense of the damn word- that made for way past pissed and into unholy rage.

"What the fuck?" Krowe shook his head to get the hair and water out of his eyes only to look up at the vampire standing with a bucket, a smile and that bitch behind him. Bella fucking Swan was _His_ and when he was out of this chair he was going to show her just who she belonged to. And he would make the bloodsucker watch before he staked Count Chocula back to hell.

"About time you woke up Milkbone breath." The vampire stood there with arms crossed looking like king of the world. _Just you wait shitsucker_._ When I get free, you're going to wish for death before the_ _end_. Paul's thoughts must have shown on his face because Edward moved Bella back closer to the house before getting all up in the wolf's muzzle.

"Listen up Bitch. This is how it's going to go: I ask a question, you bark. Got it boy? And if you're a good pup you get to keep a limb!"

"Fuck you!" Paul spit on Edward's boots. That earned him a right hook to his jaw that had the guy seeing stars and little blue birdies. Edward wanted to rip this kid apart piece by piece and Paul wasn't helping matters at all. Bella couldn't believe Paul was here, right in front of her. How had it come to this? He had always been a moody, mean person. But Bella just couldn't seem to find reason here.

"Why don't you take a walk vampire and let me and Bella talk. Or are you afraid we'll do more than talk?"

Bella stepped forward and placed her hand on Edward calming him. The mind tricks, that was Paul's MO- Bella knew better than anyone how he could make you so mad you saw red, but that would be playing into his hands here. He wanted Edward thrown off center. The wolf wanted to lead the vampire into a maze of confussion and anger. If he could get Edward to think with his heart and not his head.. Paul would have a shot.

"Edward, he's just trying to get the best of you. Don't give him the satisfaction."

"Speaking of satisfaction, why don't you leave now fangs while I show your girl what a _real_ man can do."

This time it wasn't Edward who slapped the taste out of Paul's mouth. Bella's hand print was all over his mug. Edward took much pride and joy in seeing the shock show on Krowe's face- along with that pretty little hand print.

"You can shut the hell up, Paul. You set me up to get killed in that house! You .." Bella hadn't had time to process the whole thing yet but it was all coming to her in flashes. Paul and the other boys laughing at her, Paul getting in her face knowing she wouldn't back down when the dare was thrown out. He planned all that. He was going to.. "You were going to kill me. You planned out the whole thing. Didn't you? Didn't you you son of a bitch!" Bella's foot, though small, made quite the impact when she nailed Paul between the legs. Edward was betting homewolf's nads were in his throat about now. Talk about howling at the moon!

And in true Edward style he added, "He really is, considering he is a mangy mutt." Both Paul and Bella turned to look at him. He felt the need to explain. "The whole female dog is a bitch bit. Makes sense if you think about it. Though he gets the 'Grrr' DNA from his dear old Dad." Edward was just happy to sit back and let little human have a go or ten before he finished his business with the dog.

"I just wanted to be with you Bella. I wanted to show you that you are mine, always have been and forever will be."

Okaaay. So Paul was nutter than a fruitcake. Bella could feel the rage coming off her vampire. Normally jealousy in a man would be a turn off. But Edward made it hot- surprise, surprise. Bella snapped her mind back to the topic at hand.

"So let me get this straight: You wanted her, so you scared her, chased her around in the stormy night almost killing her? I don't know where you come from Scooby Doo, but where I come from we woo our woman with dinner, dancing, and a few sweet words. Not by trying to turn them into a giant fucking squeaky toy!" Edward yelled out with hate. Pure hate. This was getting them nowhere. Well, it might get Paul left with no arms..

"But you have hated me for years! There was never a time when your malice for me wasn't clear to everyone." Bella knew it was pointless to try and reason with him- the look in his cold eyes showed no trace of levelheadedness.

"No. You remember. That day on the cliffs, I pushed you to your limits, Bella. _I_ made _you_ what you are: a bold, wild thing. I would never have coddled you like that little bitch Jake. When I watched you jump off there, the power I felt at having made you do it- it was a perfect moment. A perfect moment where I realized I loved you as much as I hated you. You, Bella Swan are mine." Paul had this far off look in his eyes. "Jake ruined so fucking much. He always tried to keep you from me. I would have taken care of him had his dear old Daddy not sent him off to Cali"

Bella wondered if Billy had known this was coming. Either way- for the first time ever- she was thankful Jake was far away from all this.

"You're sick! Let us get one thing straight, Paul." Bella got as close as Edward would allow. The unease at having his mate so close to that box of crazy was felt in heavy waves. In a low voice that didn't carry past his ears, Bella spoke. "I have never, will never be yours. I jumped off the cliffs that day to prove that no amount of bullying on your part would break me. I proved that day I had bigger balls than you because I didn't back down. You will _never_ break me just like you will _never_ have me. Assface." The growl and snap that broke out of him was like a beast that had been caged too long.

When Edward pulled his beloved behind him, well that just set Paul off even more. How dare that damn bloodsucker touch what belonged to him!

"Get your hands off of her you flithy shitsucker!" He was about to turn. Edward could see it coming. Taking out a bottle of what _looked_ like water, Edward poured some over Paul's hand. The scream that came out of him was a mix between his animal side and his human side. And it sent a chill down Bella's arms and legs.

"Here's where things get fun. You're going to leave _my_ girl out of this. You're going to answer our questions. Or this nice little blue bottle is going to tip over another part of your anatomy.. I get to piiiick, and I don't think you want that now do you wolfy? Yeah, because in this little blue bottle is pure, undeluded liquid silver." Edward was tapping into his ruthless side and wasn't ashamed in the lest. Should have scared Bella. Should have worried her that maybe the vampire would lose control. But the thing was- she was mated to him now and in that it gave her the knowledge that no matter what, Edward was in control. Undead hottie even had the balls to start humming Duran Duran's "Hungry Like The Wolf"

"Edward!" Bella almost laughed.

"What? Can I help the songs that pop into my mind, baby?"

That only served to make it worse. "When I get free I will eat your heart and make that bitch watch."

"Threats don't put me in a very good mood. Now, riddle me this howler; How did you get past the Wolfsbane?"

"You're not the only one with a woman to boss around." Paul's cold, callculated smile was back.

Bella frowned. Then it hit her, "Claire. You've been using her all this time. God, you monster!"

"I found it very easy to compel her. To bend her will to serve mine. That night at the bonfire she sat next to me and we started takling- why she moved here, what her parents did, any friends she said goodbye to. Blah, blah, blah. The moment I got her alone I used my powers to make her do anything I wanted. My own personal little servent. Hell, she even cooked for me."

"She's not a toy for your amusment you piece of shit!" Bella aimed for Krowe again but Edward grabbed her and held her back. Next person to get at the fuzball was going to be Edward.

"She was nothing more than a means to an end. She could never mean to me what you do. I had her cover for me saying that she and I had spent time camping, much to poor pathetic lovesick Seth's heartache. And the Wolfsbane was easily taken away by Claire." He looked rather bored from retelling how he played with her mind like it was nothing. This angered Bella worse than what he did to her at the Masen house. To come after her was one thing, she had held her own and had Edward backing her. But Claire and Seth were a different story.

"How the hell you could ever think I would be prevailed upon to like or want anything having to do with you- I will never understand."

"My father taught me when you want something, go after it. I am his son and so I take what is mine. But you would know that better than anyone wouldn't you vampire?"

Now, there aren't many times Edward was left dumbfounded, but here and now he was. "What are you going on about?"

"Oh, just how my father, my hero, the one who passed down his heritage, his powerful bloodlines, killed your pussy father and bitch of a mother."

_Oh, God help them all_. Thought Bella.

With eyes as black and distant as a blackhole, Edward looked down at Paul. If you were to judge the icy stare the vampire leveled the werewolf with- Paul should have turned into stone. The hate, anger, revenge and sadness of many,many years rolled over them all like a cloud over the sun.

"Grab a seat, this little walk down memory lane is going to be a long one. My father first saw your mother at the post office here in town. You and your family had just moved to Forks. I wasn't born yet but my old man told me about it many times. He laid eyes on your mother and he imprinted on her. It wasn't a choice. Like love ever gives you one, right?" He laughed with a cruel, crazy tone.

"What does imprinting mean?" Bella asked.

"It means he was drawn to her like no other. She was it for him. Like love at first sight bullshit. But what do you think happens when the one that was meant for you is already married to some crappy human?"

The growl from Edward had Bella placing herself in front of him. If he killed Paul now the truth would die with him.

"Paul, do yourself a favor and take a biiiig bite of shut the hell up before you end up gurgling silver!" Bella knew her boy and he was about to go all kinds of nasty here.

Rolling his eyes, Paul kept going. "He tried talking to her, nothing. He tried to forget her, not happening once someone like us imprints. So he slowly went mad as what should have been his right from the start belonged to another man. She would walk around the fucking town acting like she didn't know he was there. She was a tease. You know anything about that B?" His eyes moved up and down Bella like she was a Slip 'N Slide.

"She _never_ lead or teased anyone on. Your Father- I'm guessing- like you was fucked in the head!" Growled the vampire.

Paul just kind of ignored that. "At this point my old man had been doing his wolf thing for a few years and so he was powerful. One night he just went .. off. Had enough. Only so much one man can take. So when your Father stepped outside, Dad did what had to be done. He was only going to kill you and your old man- then surely your Mother would realize her place was by my father's side. Things went bad, though. He tried talking to her, but he got too involved and swiped at her too hard.. He said he screamed at her to look at the mess. The fucking mess she made! Look at what she brought upon them all. He was going to make her his either way but those disgusting bloodsuckers had to come busting in like it was their business." As Bella watched Edward's black eyes lock on Paul without moving she turned to look at just how insane Paul Krowe truly was. The sins of the father embraced by the son.

"Your father was the wolf that killed my parents." Edward's voice was flat. Lifeless. Like getting the answers to all the questions didn't seem to help after all.

"On his death bed he told me about how you looked for him. How he covered his tracks and how he settled for my mother. He said I was the only good thing that came out that piece of wasted bag of bones." The reverence he had for that sicko father of his was insane- much like Paul himself. Bella remembered Paul's Father died of heartfailure.

"I knew there was a reason I never liked you or your Dad."

"Doesn't matter. He died with my vow that I wouldn't end up letting the same fate happen to me. When I found my soul catcher***** I would have her." He turned from Bella to Edward. "And _nothing_ and _no one_ would stop me."

It happened in the blink of an eye. Paul turned in a flash. Barely any time for Edward to push Bella out of the way. One second he was sitting there in his human form, next the black wolf was free of his bonds. As the werewolf and the vampire fought, it looked like something a stunt director would have spent months and months choreographing. Bella could do nothing to stop it. She was helpless in this. She hated to watch but couldn't look away. Her love for her mate and her hate for their enemy at war within her. Two drastically different feelings. Like black and white, good verses evil playing out right before her eyes- literally. This was Edward's battle, though. A long time coming. He needed this fight. But when a sharp bite locked onto the arm that had just delievered a hard blow to the giant head of the beast, Bella didn't see anything wrong with helping tip the scales in her man's favor..

Taking the little bottle of sliver that lay in the wet grass, Bella opened the top and wistled in a way one would to get their dog to look at them. She threw the contents at the wolfs face. Howling, growling in pain, Paul lost his place in the fight and Edward sent a kick to the leg of the wolf. The snapping sound was the first clue his leg was now usless. But that didn't mean Paul was out of the fight for good- he still had three other legs to stand on.

A thought came to Bella so hard and fast it left her breathless: _One would die tonight_. _Must be this way. It was fate._ God, please don't let it be her mate. Not now that she had him. She found herself growling out at the mere thought. No. No way would she lose him now that she and Edward were together. Right then and there while the fight kept going, Bella told the fates, God, whatever higher powers, that she would give up her being an Eternal to be with her vampire. Ironic when she thought about it- She would rather live one reality with him than lifetimes of coming back.

"Are you barking mad? This fucking shirt cost more than your tail is worth!" Seemed the vampire didn't like it when his clothing got messed with. And the fight raged on. The rain that had started to fall didn't help matters at all.

But the finale blow, like so many times in a real battle, a real fight came not in a big CGI production with amazing explosions or acts of God. It was a quiet kind of stillness. One split second decision was all it took. And as Paul used all his effort, every last bit of his strength in his body, he sent Edward flying back into the shed. Bella watched it cave in on her lover's body. She screamed out and he came for her. Wasting not one precious moment. Bella couldn't tear her eyes away from the still form of Edward. She kept waiting for him to get up. But when she was nose to nose with the thing that had caused so much pain and suffering she felt it all as the fires of retribution arose from within her. Bella knew not what powers she may have or had in past lives, but she summoned them all now. She would have harrnised the sun and moon to end the dead soul before her. At that moment she wasn't just a helpless human. She looked into the eyes of her foe, as her reflection flashed back her at she was shocked at what she found: She looked neither young nor old. She was beyond the anger of human emotions. She wasn't the small, weak female now.

They say Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Bella Swan thought scorned had no fury like a woman who's mate had been hurt. For if Bella was going out, she was going out with a blazing fire and causing a whole lot of damage while doing it.

Somehow when he growled, she understood him. "Bella, submit to me now or die."

Oh, so not happening. "The name's Karma!" Bella punched the wolf as hard as she could, doing what her father had always taught her: Thumb below fingers, lead into the opponent with all your weight. Her right hook nailed him between two huge yellow eyes and if the cracking sound of her knuckles was anything to go by, he was going to need a Tylenol the size of Texas and so was Bella. "..And she's a bitch!" As Bella fell to the ground she felt good- she might die now- but she fought back.

The wolf was about to finish her off, shaking his head to get back in the game, when one single shot rang out. It hit the wolf in the stomach. Bella looked over at the side of the house where her father stood with his gun pointed.

And then there was Edward right behind the wolf whispering in its ear.

"When you get to Hell, be sure to tell your Father hello, fucker." And Edward did what he promised Bella he would do: He ripped the heart out of the chest of the animal. Bella almost expected it to be black- like the beast's soul.

It was over. Edward kneeled down in the rain next to Bella. She saw a gash on his forehead but otherwise he was fine. It hit her like a ton of bricks. Crawling her way over, Bella ended up in the vampire's lap. She hung on to Edward, to her love. And she allowed herself to cry for them all. For Edward, his parents, for all the lives that were hurt by this father and son duo who lived and died with hate in their souls.

"It's over. It's over now love. Shhh" Edward rocked her and wouldn't be letting her go for a very, very long time to come. Or until a throat being cleared snapped their eyes to Chief Charlie Swan.

Bella didn't know what to say... "Daddy?"

Looking from the dead wolf to his daughter in the arms of the vampire, Chief shook his head, replaced his gun in the holster, popped a top on one of the cans of beer he carried from a half six pack. As he finished the thing in one long pull, he burped then said-

"One thing I always hated about living in the Pacific North West: All the damn Werewolves." He turned and walked away.

"So that was your Dad."

Nodding, Bella just watched as her Father went back into the house. A minute later- the sound of a ballgame was heard.

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**A/N And that's all she wrote, folks! Okay, not all because we have the Epilogue coming up! I'm sad having finished :( Anyway, Epi will have all the thank you's and whatnot. Did you like it? What about my little "Lost Boys" part? I had to pay respect to one of the best Vampire movies of all time! Love to all and thank you, thank you, thank you for hanging in there with me! I think you will all like the Epilogue :)**

*****_Soul Catcher is just something I came up with. I'm sure there are other ideas for it out there, but my idea was it would be like a soulmate only stronger. For the wolf, if he does not end up with his soul catcher, the one he also imprints on, the wolf will end up losing his mind. Thus doing very bad things. Savvy?_


	14. Chapter Epilogue

**Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. The Dare belongs to me!**

**Thanks to B for editing (if anything's wrong - take it up with him!)**

**Songs for chapter: "Supermassive Black Hole" by _Muse_ & "Love You Madly" by _Cake_**

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**-The Dare-**  
**Epilogue**

**~X~**

Billy Black woke up in the middle of the night from a dream. The sweat running down his face and his back gave him chills at it hit the cool air in his home. He got up thinking perhaps some water would help. His throat was as dry as sand and his mind was scrambled. He couldn't seem to remember the dream, only shapes and feelings. Cold, pale hands, a shadow around the edges. As he stood at the small kitchen sink looking out the window he drank and drank. He could never remember being this thirsty. And like a flash of lightning, his dream came back to him fully. So much so it had him taking a step back trying not to fall.

What he saw was Bella Swan but not in human form. Bella was a white fox with sliver eyes. A creature who would stun you with both her beauty and agile movents. But she was battling a giant black wolf with yellow eyes. Just as the little fox was about to be taken over by the wolf, pale hands and a shadow passed over the dream. A man stood up to the wolf- blocking him from the fox. On second glance Billy wasn't so sure it was a man- He looked like a man, spoke and walked like a man but he was covered in shadow and death. It wasn't the type of death that would leave him in the ground. This man had fangs that shone in the glow cast by the fox. He took on the wolf with the strength and speed of nothing found on earth. And when the wolf finally fell, the little white fox jumped into the arms of the shadow man-they embraced right before he bit the beautiful animal. Billy found himself holding onto the counter in his kitchen as he saw it all play out in his memories. Blood, red and thick, ran down white fur and those sliver eyes turned right to look at Billy in his dream. He thought he would find the fox in pain and scared, but she was happy and seemed to welcome the shadow. Billy was terrified. He remembered himself whispering. "_Little Fox what have you done? For your wild ways have finally caught up to you.."_

**X**

"Little human what are you doing?" Edward hadn't opened his eyes but he could feel Bella doing something with his hair. Normally she would run her fingers through it causing him to purr like a cat. It did wonders for his ego. But right now Bella was doing something else. It felt like a whole lot of tugging going on and not in the 'Bella-is-making-Edward-see-stars' kind of way.

Giggling, Bella kept going. "I'm just braiding your luscious locks." That caused him to sit up faster than Bella could blink. He felt around and sure enough tiny little braids all around his face. How the hell had he missed those? And was that.. a flower? Blimey! It was most definitely a flower braided in.

Looking over his shoulder at a still laughing Bella who was layed out on the blanket they had brought, Edward stopped for a minute to watch her eyes shine with happiness and the sweetest sound of her giggle coming out of the mouth he had tasted and kissed more times than he could count. Last few months with Bella- drama free- had been like a dream. Only better because there was never any waking up. This was their reality. They had grown closer, she had met his immortal family and fallen in with them like she had always been by his side. They, like him, had instantly fallen for the little human with the big heart. In fact they got on so well that Edward sometimes regretted having introduced Bella to his sisters. Alice and Rosalie took Bella under their wing and, as far as Edward was concerned, corrupted his Bella. They loved to drive their brother crazy and make fun of him because having Bella in his life had turned the vampire into somewhat of a softy - to which Ro and Ali never let him forget. Fun times were had by all at his expense. But it was all good because he got _her_. He got Bella in his arms, in his heart, and in his life. Just where she would stay.

Leaning down to her face Edward traced around her eyes to the slope of her small nose, past its tip to those full pink lips. He traced the bow there and then moved on down her chin and circled the dimple that only came out when she had the giggles.. like now. But when his finger got to her neck and stoppped at her pulse point, Bella opened her eyes to look up at her vampire. His face was all she could see. His hair hung in his eyes, braids and all. She had to smile at that.

"Am I in trouble now?" She asked in a very flirty tone. Batting those long eyelashes she knew he loved.

In a mock frown and seriousness that wasn't really there, Edward nodded. "I'm afraid so. I mean just look at me sitting in a field with you as you braid wild flowers into my hair. What if someone came upon us here?" He looked around the open meadow they had found while out walking one day. It wasn't as nice as their meadow in Bella's dream world where they visited offten, but it was still lovely and a place that was all their own.

"Who would show up here in the middle of nowhere?"

Thinking about for a moment, Edward told her. "Bear Grylls"

Bella snorted. "Bear Grylls? The English survival guy? Pray tell what would he be doing out here? Teaching people how to live through rain?"

"Laugh all you want, however, you would feel bad if while we sat here with my braided hair, Bear and his crew came out of nowhere to tape me looking like your Barbie doll. Little human, would you humiliate me like that? Would you emasculate me in such a way?" His hand over his heart.

"Do you have a man crush on Bear Grylls? Because maybe he would think the flowers were very pretty." That did it. Edward was on top of her and he showed no mercy in his tickling. It was a mean trick he used when he needed to win.

"Okay! Okay, I give. I'm sorry. I will take the braids out."

"Smart for a human."

"Well, one of us has to have the brains." Was her snarky comeback. God, how he loved that about her.

After they made love in between that blanket and the twilight sky above, Edward said something he never thought would pass his lips until he met Bella. "I want you to be my wife." Yeah, he said it. And going by the look on her face, Bella heard it loud and clear.

"I'm sorry can you repeat that. It sounded like you said you wanted me to be your wife?"

They both rolled over on their sides to face the other. Edward searched her eyes for any fear. But what he found gave him so much hope it was almost cruel to allow his heart to think it stood a chance at her saying yes.

He brushed her bangs back. "I did. Does that make you uncomfortable?"

Frowning, Bella shook her head. "No. It doesn't" Edward knew there was a but in there somewhere.

"But.. ?"

The narrowing of her eyes had him nervous. After six months with Bella, Edward had gotten to know her inside and out. He knew when she was thinking up trouble because she would get an excited gleam in her brown eyes. And when she was in her still, quiet moments he knew to let her be. He knew her like the back of his hand. She was his everything: Best friend, lover and faithful partner in crime. Even Charlie was welcoming to the fact his daughter was in love with one of the undead. After Charlie told Edward that if he hurt his baby girl he would go all Buffy on his ass- they ended up bonding over NHL thanks to copious amounts of ESPN while waiting for Bella to get ready for dates. Once Charlie learned Edward had season tickets to not only the Seattle ThunderBirds, but he could also get Charlie into any SeaHawks game he wanted- it was forever a match made in sports heaven. All in all.. it was kind of normal. But something was cooking here and now with Bella and her eyes.

"Okay. I will marry you. On one conditon."

"And what would that be my tiny ball of trouble?"

"If we are to walk this life together- We will do it as equals."

"That's what you want. To be at my side.. like _that_?" Edward was willing to admit the vampire in him got off on the fact Bella would be like him. That they could be on the same level and that he wouldn't have to worry as much about her getting hurt. And the fact his blood would run through her veins just as her's would be in his- That was something that made his body harden at the mere thought. The aspect of making love to his immortal wife.. put a bounce in his step. But the man in him knew what a sacrifice it would be. He had fought against her being like him.

"Yep. Just call me the corpse bride."

"Bella-"

"Edward." She said in the same tone he had taken on. Always the little snarky human. "Edward," She said again. She got up all close in his face. "I d_are_ you to change me." And so the Gauntlet was thrown.

It would be counterintuitive to assume that Bella needed to be told all the reasons why she should remain human. Edward knew Bella was strong both in mind and heart and so if she wanted a life with him as a vampire, he wouldn't insult her by making that choice seem wrong. But who said a little reverse psychology would hurt?

Getting in closer to her, so close that he could taste her breath on his tongue, Edward countered her dare. "_I_ dare _you,_ Bella Swan, to remain a human .." As Bella was about to get pissed, Edward continued. "Until after our wedding."

"So after I marry you, then you turn me?"

"Consider it a wedding present."

"For you or me?" They both laughed. And like that a deal was struck. Edward would get his blushing bride and Bella would then get the seal on the deal of eternity with her love. Though both knew they each were winning. But what Edward didn't know was that Bella would marry him anyday, at any point, anywhere. She loved him and was ready to be his in every way possible.

_**Six years later..**_

"Dad! You're cheating. You can't pull your gun on my husband just so you can steal home!" Bella had her hands on her hips as She, Charlie and the Cullens played some baseball in her and Edward's backyard. Bella loved the home she shared with Edward. It was close enough to downtown Seattle to be able to go shopping, dining out or movies without being in the car for hours. Though, after becoming a vampire Edward bought his wife a brand spanking new BMW M3, Bella learned that driving fast and loving it wasn't just an Edward thing- it was a vampire thing. Every Sunday she and Edward would have the family over to hang out. Charlie fit in with the Cullens just as well as Bella had. You couldn't help but love them all.

"Bells, give your old man a break." Charlie said while trying to catch his breath. He was in very good shape, however, against a bunch of vampires he had to work it with all he had just to be on their level. Throwing his hands around, pointing at where Rose, Alice, Carlisle and Edward stood, he yelled out "If you want to get technical- they're all cheating!"

"Just remember Chief it's all fun and games 'til someone gets shot." Edward teased his Father-in-Law. The relationship between those two was something that Bella still didn't understand. But she didn't need to. Her Father and her husband had an understanding and something in common: Bella and loving her. Because both men did- in very different ways, but still she was everything to them. That was the foundation to which they both seemed to have built their friendship on. Charlie even thought about joining the Cullens in their lifestyle for about three minutes then deemed himself too old to live forever. After that he started dating Doris from the diner. It made Bella's day to have Doris in their lives. Even if they hid the vampire parts from her. Not only was Doris an amazing person, fabulous cook, but she and Charlie cared deeply for one another. To know her Father wouldn't be alone anymore lifted a weight from Bella's chest she didn't realize had been pressing in on her. She just knew her Mother would have approved of the match.

The only thing now was it was time to move on from Seattle. Vampires didn't change and so sticking around longer would cause raised eyebrows. The Cullens had several homes throughout Europe and so Edward and Bella decided to move with the family. Bella could write from anywhere and Edward had long since learned to run his various businesses from anywhere around the globe. The hard part was leaving Charlie and Seth. Seth. He and Claire were together now and she had a feeling would be for a long time to come. Just as Charlie and his lady love would be. They had all come a long way. Bella would never forget that night when they have stopped Paul. After Edward had left to.. get rid of the wolf's body, Bella remembered going into her Father's room and picking up a black and white photo he kept on the dresser- it was of the day he and Renee got married. The smile her Mother wore was exquisite. The smile her Father had was of pure pride.

_**Flashback**_

"You look so much like your Mom, Bells." Bella turned around at the sound of her Father's voice.

She studied his face for a moment. He looked worn out and half-way buzzed. Turning back to the frame and photo in her hand. "I remember always looking at this picture while Mom got ready for the day. She would be putting on her make-up and brushing her hair in the bathroom. I would sit here on the bed and just stare either at her or this photo. I used to think she was a Princess. I was convinced she was and you were her handsome Prince. I even thought you had gotten married in a castle like in DisneyWorld." Bella smiled at the memory.

"And now. Now what do you think?" She could hear her Father come and sit down on the edge of his bed.

Putting the frame back on the dresser, sighing she said. "Now I know she was. I miss her so much, Dad." When she turned around her Father had his arms open. And just like when she was five, Bella took a leap and fell into her Daddy's arms.

As she started to cry, Chief Swan knew that it was hard for Bella. So many damn things had been hard for his daughter because she lost her Mother. He tried the best he could but there is only so much a single Father who knows nothing about the world of females could do. Hell, Bella spent most of her childhood down at the station or at the gun range. The fact she liked shopping and make-up at all was a shock. He called her his girly tomboy.

"That's okay Isabella, you cry as much as you want. I'm here for you kid. And I ain't going anywhere. I'm too damn stubborn and mean to die." He felt her laugh a little bit. Mission accomplished.

"Dad? How did you know?" Bella looked up at her Father. "You didn't seem shocked to walk in on all.. that."

"Bells, here's the thing: I've been a cop for a number of years. I've seen things that most people wouldn't believe in a thousand years. As an officer you see a lot of evil. And not just in human form. As Chief it's my responsibility to look after my town and the people who live in it. That means I keep an eye out for shit. Not just your regular shit like old man Jenkins flashing everyone down at the gas station- but the things that go unseen by most people. I knew we had a werewolf problem. Somehow I could just feel it. And when those students turned up dead.. I knew for sure one had landed here in town."

"But how did you even discover such a thing was true?" It made no sense. None of this did. The fact she was talking to her Father calmly about this was crazy. But then again.. looking back over last few weeks, crazy seemed to be the theme.

"I know you don't really remember your Grandpa Swan. He died before you were three, but he and I used to go hunting all the time up near Mount Skokomish. We had gone up there to get it away from it all. Or so your Grandfather said. But I knew '_all'_ was code for get away from my Mom. She drove Dad crazy." Charlie's laugh was warm and full of fond memories. "I guess I was about 19 or so and even then knew my way around a gun. We were making our way in after having had a full weekend of fishing, hiking and I even got some rock climbing in, when we heard something. It was a deep growl. Nothing like I'd ever heard. I've been around grizzly, mountain lions, even a few wolves- this wasn't like anything I'd heard before. Dad and I looked over behind us, some fifty yards back on a ridge stood the biggest wolf I had ever laid eyes upon. We both went for our guns, but one look in that animal's eyes and I knew it wasn't your normal wolf. His eyes looked like a human- he looked right through me. We kept our guns raised, but waited it out. The wolf studies us like he was looking to see if he had a chance at taking both of us. Then he just backed away, going deeper into the wilderness until we couldn't see him anymore. Damnedest thing I ever saw."

"But that wasn't really proof it was a werewolf. I mean, it could have just been a very large wolf."

"True. But here's the rub.. I walked back over to where the wolf had been, I tracked it to the edge of the trees it had gone into. Dad wasn't happy I was going after it, but something told me to look. And there I followed the wolf's paw prints. The things were almost as big as my prints. But as I got close to where we lost sight of him, the wolf tracks stopped. Just ended. No veering left or right. Nothing. Where the wolf tracks stopped, a man's large footprints began."

"So that was just the start of weird things, unexplained things that I have seen. As for you dating a vampire- I did a background check and some things didn't add up for me. Again, I went off a hunch. Then I met with Dr. Cullen one day up in Seattle." Charlie looked somewhat ashamed. But not enough to get him to regret looking up Edward's Father. Not when his daughter's safety was on the line.

"Dad! Oh my God. You can't just.. Does Edward know about this?" He hadn't mentioned it, but then again they had been busy lately..

"No. Carlisle Cullen and I have an understanding. Father to Father. He promised me his son was a good person who would treat you right, and then I promised not to park an evergreen in Edward's heart." Bella sat there with her eyes wide and her heart going crazy because not only did Charlie know that her boyfriend was a vampire, she knew he would in fact 'park an evergreen' in said boyfriend.

"Dad, I'm like ten shades of confused here. You know everything and you're okay with it?"

"Bella, what I walked in on back there," Charlie ran a hand down his face. He looked so tired. "I haven't been that scared since your Mother left us. When I saw that wolf near you, it was a nightmare come to life. Then I saw the rage that Edward had behind his eyes. The rage and the fear that he might lose you.. and when he layed hands on that dog, I knew right then and there. As a Father I knew and was thankful that he would do anything for you. I'm right aren't I?

"Yes. And I would do anything for him."

"I thought so and that is why I'm okay with your boy. I've seen a lot of evil in this world. But I've also seen a lot of good. What you have with him is good baby. It's real good. I had good with your Mom. And when you find that- you hold on with both hands. Even if the good comes from the most unconventional places. But Bells? You're still in deep shit for not introducing me and your vampire boyfriend the right way. Oh, you are sooo in trouble." Charlie chuckled at the annoyed face Bella was sporting.

Bella had gone to sleep that night thinking about her life. A few months before she thought it was at the lowest point because Jake had left her all alone. Bella knew that fate had stepped in. Just as she knew Paul and Edward were meant to collide: Edward fighting for his Father against what Paul's Dad had done, she knew she was meant to be apart of it all. No matter how many times she had walked the earth in some form or another, she wouldn't have gotten it right until she met her Undead hottie.

_**End Flashback**_

"What are you thinking so hard on my wife?" Bella was brought out of her thoughts by Edward wrapping his arms around her. She sat on the back deck watching the flames from the candles they kept out there flicker and dance. Everyone had long since gone home and it was quiet and peaceful.

"I was thinking about everything that has happened since I met you." She leaned up so he could slide in behind her.

"And are you still happy you met me? It's been a wild ride." His voice, his touch still had her feeling butterflies and made her blood pump in her veins more than any dare could have ever done.

"I was thinking how lucky I am."

"Lucky?"

"Yes. Because one dare lead me to where I am now. One silly, reckless dare changed my life forever. No.. scratch that. I'm not just going to down play it because we were meant to be- so not just 'one dare' got us here. _The Dare_ got us here." And as she felt Edward's kisses start on her neck and his fang run along her collarbone, his hands went around her waist to move them closer, she was never so thankful she had been a trouble-making teen with a point to prove.

"_True love stories never have endings."_

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**A/N: Thank you all for reading! Thanks to those who gave reviews: PatchsFallenAngel, Sujari6, Spunkransom12, XxLikeanAngelxX, alsin, DarkAngelRakell, ButterballBabe, Zdra8351, HallieAnna Lissette, Ashlie-Marie Cullen, Oscarkittens, HalloweenRocks14, Joykohl, eli-Rose, PJ littlefoot, TheMaskPerson, DiMpLeS09, and to KStuart. You all made my day. Especially PatchsFallenAngel and Sujari6 for reviewing every chapter! You guys are like my Pop Rocks! Hope you enjoyed the story. Love, peace and chocolate to all (except PatchsFallenAngel who doesn't like chocolate- Patch gets gummy bears or something) **

**Also, I'm going to be doing some outtakes of Charlie and some of Seth- not them together because that'd be weird. But I want to write about Seth and Claire and then we have Charlie and Doris. I also must say that Charlie is based off my own Father who's a cop and was a Navy SEAL. Yep, dating was always a pain because of him. Lol I don't know when it will be added because I have my other story to finish. Just keep an eye out for it if you might want to read it. Rock on good people!**

_Quote by Richard Bach_


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